Fallen Stars
by Shinashi
Summary: Reyson experiments with Calill, then is transported to the future. Ironically, the person who saves him is a man calling himself Tibarn- half-dressed! He learns there are no longer clans but gangs, and that laguz falling through 'Gaps' are top goods.
1. Comet

First of all, let's pretend that I have no other works I'm working on . But I've been wanting to write this... and so... if anyone likes this... Please review...

**AN**: I've never read Fire Emblem fanfiction. If you know any good ones, that are BL, please tell me. It can be AU, death fic, I don't care. I just really really want something good.

And yet another: I've only played Path of Radiance and a little more than half of Radiant Dawn. I actually agree on the couples (SPOILER: i.e. Naesala and Leanne are just soooooo hot together) produced in the game but BL is always... something sexy to me... So Tibarn and Reyson are super hot.. so.. yea. Read and review!

**FULL SUMMARY**: Reyson experiments with Calill, then is transported to the future. Ironically, the person who saves him is a man calling himself Tibarn- half-dressed! He learns there are no longer clans but gangs, and that laguz falling through 'Gaps' are top goods... But 'Tibarn' is a Hawk in Begnion territory. Still, instead of turning Reyson to Oliver, the host of the part, Tibarn takes him home and tries to train Reyson for his own safety if he wants to survive in this world, and for his own animalistic intentions.

**Warnings**: I'm going to keep it teen for awhile... but... I definitely cannot guarantee it's going to be kept that way. Second, it's hard for me to continue without reviews. Just drop one when you read a chapter and I'll be happy-go-lucky

**Pairings**: TibarnxReyson (why aren't there more of these?).. and some other FE:POR/RD pairings that I haven't established yet.

Comet

As soon as the bottle of potion shattered against the floor, Reyson knew something was wrong; he was making some huge mistake, and he hesitated.

Calill panicked, yelling, "Reyson, you better say it! You just do not know how difficult it was to brew this. If you really want this- and if you don't want me to smack that pretty head of yours- you'd better go on."

Reyson thought, in a procrastinating sort of way, _she has gone out of her way for me- though, I really had to pay through the nose to get it_. It was just a little kiss and hug, and a chest of money, but still..

"Reyson, it's going to evaporate- that or my spell will dissipate."

And the hope that this spell might work gripped him; in the warm, but not burning, fire he stood in, he could make out his eyes, wings, and shape- perhaps it was a hallucination. He held onto that anyway and spoke," Tibarn," and a whirlpool appeared beneath his feet.

Yes, it was definitely not a good idea.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Ulki's ears pricked, wriggling involuntarily, and he heard it fall. This was no empty passing this time- one of the real deals, one of which he had descended from, had fallen from the sky. He would have told the Boss immediately, but he was in the midst of an important conversation with Oliver of Begnion- about the sharing of boundaries in some of the districts downtown and their taxing rates; plus, there was that problem of Daein's underground sub-human fights, which took away upper-class money from Begnion's prostitution rings. Both of which affected Phoenicies' buying (and subsequent freeing) of sub-humans, for the more money they wanted, the least likely they were going to sell them anymore.

Good thing Ulki only had to hear any of this. Just that was giving him a political headache. He strained his ears, not hearing that person move- which meant that person had fainted from falling through the Gap- what they called the five second opening through which sub-humans fell- and was probably not a beast or dragon sub-human. A raven or hawk perhaps? If he, Januff, and the boss got there before Oliver did- and he had to go to the Begnion headquarters to check the monitors of Gaps, which he already did every chance he got- they could take whatever it was and free it in Goldoa territory.

Then it came to Ulki about the Daein- one of the most ruthless gangs in Tellius- agreement pact- one of various little schemes that they had come out to the open about. Every boss involved in Tellius city's truce was required to have at least one sub-human _pet_, a life-long one. Daein was under the notion that they were being targeted by other gangs for the harsh treatment of their pets. Those that didn't want war was to abide by the truce in reach of the time limit of fifteen days. Just to ease Daein's guilty conscience- that or give them reason to start a bloody war.

There were three days left. The possibility of a Gap appearing in Phoenicies was about once every three months- against Daein and Begnion's twice a month, Kilvas once a month, and too-often Gallia and Goldoa, a gang that actually accepted sub-humans and were not part of the truce, but too much of a formidable enemy for Daein to wave a finger at. Crimea had reported sub-human appearances only a dozen times over the last few years. Still, Crimea's boss had a pet already. But that wasn't even the biggest part; acquiring a sub-human was fairly easy compared to training one.

Ulki sighed inwardly; he trusted the Boss to be fair, but even he had his rough moments when commanding others for their safety. He's had a pet before, then had freed it in Goldoa, after many refusals from the pet towards the Boss's (rather frequent) sexual advances- and the reason for _that_ was Daein's fault as well. Such a jealous and protective person, plus the sexual appetite of a half-breed, Ulki just hoped this sub-human wasn't too hard-headed.

"What, Ulki, you listening to a movie or something?" Januff poked his bony elbow into his bony ribs. "We're done."

Ulki watched Tibarn's gigantic hand barely engulf Oliver's grubby palm. For the umpteenth time that day, the Boss rearranged his uncomfortable tie. Tibarn sort of wanted, throughout the talk, to exchange the Begnion meeting for a Daein one, where they didn't give a hoot what you wore. And they ate more than the petty little 'delicacies' Begnion served here. The only bonus were the intricate carvings in their marble walls, and other artistic endeavors, and the beautiful sub-humans they hoarded, especially with Oliver. Next time he met with Begnion, he was going to get one of the pets to give him some real food.

"I'm so pleased we've gotten so much accomplished today, Phoenicies," Oliver's smile, a contorted shape of fat surrounding his face, was fake. Tibarn mused ruefully that they had accomplished nothing, only further reiterated what the problems were, while he proposed solutions, and Oliver answered vaguely about discussing them with his boss. Politics, politics.

He tried to say something equally pleasant, and false, but an inward honor forbade him to do so. Instead, he replied, "Hope to hear Begnion's reply soon."

Oliver laughed at his awkward reply, then his cellphone rang somewhere underneath his fat and the luxurious robes that covered it. Tibarn's lips twitched at the thought that something might be stuck or lost somewhere in there.

"What?" Oliver said into the phone, "Splendid- but wait until I check before mapping to it. I don't want to have another disappointment like last time, or else you would pay." He hung up with that threat. "Well, I must be off. And you know my policies: Even half-breeds such as Your Excellency have to use the back door."

_Coming from a man who worships a witch_, Tibarn wished he could utter aloud, but all he did was bow a bit and turned to the pretty purple-haired raven that was to show him the way to the back door. As soon as he was out, he removed his tie, outer jacket, inner vest, the ropes around his shoulders, his shirt, and the bullet-proof vest, then finally unveiled his wings from whatever dimension they came from. Freedom!

Now... The flight home...

What other bird sub-humans claimed to have been able to do since they were young, Tibarn had trained rigorously to keep up his stamina to fly, dedicating dozens of hours a week to honing his skills so that he could show sub-humans that even if he was a half-breed he can be as powerful as they were. On the other hand, he accomplished climbing the social ladders of Phoenicies- of Tellius really- to become a Boss. An enriched bloodline enabled him to reach his status in a little under fifty years, following after Goldoa and Gallia, and Kilvas falling behind Phoenicies. Begnion and Daein were outraged but no one would say anything.

Tibarn grinned at the memory, how at first he was uneasy with the whole situation and ready for war, but now he only had to temporarily tolerate a corpulent bigoted Begnion. He was transported back to reality by Ulki calling him.

"Yes, Ulki?"

The hawk sub-human's ears twitched. Whoever fell was moving around now-it may be some stronger sub-human that just so happen to fall through a particularly powerful Gap. He pointed southeast, the way home. "Something fell through a Gap that way."

"Another little pet for Oliver to pull around, fat lucky bastard." Tibarn flew upwards until he could get some good winds to ease his flying. Januff and Ulki didn't have to worry about such details- but heaven forbid if Tibarn wasn't going to use it.

"You could take it," Januff offered, flying near him, knowing that Tibarn wouldn't think of such devious plans himself- unless it was obviously related to his gang... or sex. "Oliver doesn't know if it is an empty opening or if something fell through, and not even his technology would be able to tell him- just the likelihood."

"If Begnion ever found out..." Tibarn trailed off, but Ulki interrupted him.

"There's little to no chance you're going to get a Gap back at home, and Daein's offer ends in three days. Begnion doesn't _need_ another sub-human, so it's not like you're taking serious goods from them."

"And she could be a pretty one!" Januff urged excitedly, automatically ensuring the gender of the sub-human. "Prettier than Oliver's pets."

Tibarn raised his hands in defeat, feeling the excitement himself. "You guys win, but our ass is grass if we're caught. But I've been looking for a conquest," and he flew ahead, "Lead the way Ulki, or, if you can see, Januff."

The two servant-guards looked at each other. The Boss had said 'conquest'. It was probably Daein's influence, Daein's drugs, and power. At least, that was what they hoped. They followed after him. About half an hour later, Januff spotted a white figure in the otherwise green fields of Oliver's golf course- the course probably unused for centuries.

As they got closer, Januff began to realize what a beauty they were getting. It was male, not Januff's cup of tea, but that little fact wasn't going to deter Tibarn, might even make him even more interested. But then there was the strangest thing...

"I don't know what he is," Januff told them. It looked similar to some other sub-human, but he couldn't get his head to hold onto it.

Tibarn raised an eyebrow. "He? You can see _him_ then? What does he look like?"

"He's really pale, slender. I think his eyes are green. Really pretty. Blond hair- oh, and I see some feathers; they're like an angel's. I know I've seen at least one before, but I've completely forgotten what it was."

"Like Ashnard's Leanne? The heron?"

"Yea! He's a heron!"

Tibarn, though his body stirred with anticipation, imagined a heron like Leanne with himself. "I'll crush him." And why did that give him such a thrill? "Maybe I should leave this one alone."

"He's looking at us," Januff told him. "Do you really want to leave him with Oliver? When you could have him?"

Tibarn began to wonder when had Januff and Ulki learned how to push just the right buttons. Just imagining a beauty like Leanne in Oliver's blubbery hands made his stomach turn; even Ashnard, that damn lunatic, was at least a hard-working man. That fat Begnion lord would probably pass out with the effort to keep 'it' up. And there was no question that he could... with the heron.

"What the...?" Ulki muttered, tone so astounded that Januff and Tibarn stopped.

"Oliver's coming?" Januff whispered, looking around. Usually what Ulki heard, he could see, and it went the other way around, but he didn't see anything.

"No, the heron..." Ulki, ears pointed downward, as if by some odd turn of events he was now hard of hearing, towards the heron that was now looking at them. Januff could see he was saying something.

"What's he saying?"

"He's calling us."

"Really?" Tibarn grinned. "They're generally not so friendly, those sub-humans."

"No, he's calling our names. All three of us."

"You serious?"

"How often do I joke?"

Tibarn and Januff nearly fried their brains searching for those nearly nonexistent occurrences, and landed onto the ground where the heron, who called their names again, walked towards them with a bewildered face.

Reyson blinked in surprise. What on earth were they wearing? Tibarn was bare-chested, gruesome scars here and there, but mostly nothing to complain about... But no! Their biorhythms were totally off, and Tibarn's was nearly completely suppressed. At their hips were silver little machines; they weren't daggers, for they were lower on their thighs, and several cords of ropes on each of them. Why would Tibarn carry rope? However, by the sweet goddess, waves of his smell hit him full force, so definitely masculine, so exclusively Tibarn, that his questions flew away.

Tibarn uncharacteristically continued to the heron, an untrained sub-human straight from the Gap. It was the boy's smell, fresh air; if there was such a cologne, this heron was wearing it. His ancient clothing swirled around his slender frame with a mixture of creamy white, green and silver- hair the truest blonde. Would he tear those habiliments apart? Pull that lovely hair? He could see it in those stubborn eyes, who saw him as some other that no longer lived; once he knew the truth, those gorgeous greens would flame into fury, and he would do just as he had just asked himself... But for now... He would be a gentle man. He took the heron's small chin into his fingers, turning his face up, that blushing, yet welcoming face.

Januff and Ulki shared another look. This was so beyond standard procedure when capturing a sub-human. There would at least be a struggle- but this sub-human was acting nonstandard. What would happen when the heron realized that he was mistaking them for some other people? In the case of that happening anytime soon, and they trusted their Boss would let him know, Ulki took out his ropes, Januff a collar and leash. They took a stance about the pair.

Heavens! His lips were soft, and trembling. So near to him, Tibarn could smell the sweet flesh of a virgin. Rather large, but delicate hands pressed against his bare chest, splaying over his nipple.

Reyson put his other arm, just as nervous, around the carved hips. Tibarn's tongue swished over his lips in entreating little licks, but he was too much of a coward to open his mouth and let him in, and the hawk settled for nibbling. One strong arm pulled him taut against him, so that Tibarn's burning need pushed into his stomach. Reyson suddenly realized that he hadn't thought so far. Holding hands and talking, yes, sometimes, kissing, maybe, satisfying sexual needs- no, not yet, but if Tibarn wanted to...He could...Probably...

Tibarn saw his closest Brothers walk around him and the heron, and he realized that it was time to disillusion the poor thing. He separated their lips and made an effort to calm himself, such a hard task with the object of his desire so close... He pulled further apart, and told him, in a whispering voice that would probably blast the heron's fantasy to pieces, "It is odd that you know my name." Of course, the green eyes flashed. Ulki and Januff closed in.

"What?" Reyson said intelligently, noticing then Ulki and Januff's proximity, and the rope and leash in their hands. Those... Were meant for him? He looked at Tibarn, and noticed the face had no scar. These strange biorhythms... No, not strange, completely different, completely different people, with the same names, same faces? How? Why? He shoved Tibarn away, standing in the middle of the three of them. "Where am I?"

Tibarn took out his own rope, desires completely shot. Now, it was business- but forget about Goldoa, this one was definitely his. "You're in Tellius. A city," he added, knowing that most sub-humans form the Gap knew Tellius as a continent.

"What year is it?" Reyson whispered, backing up into Ulki.

"2091." Tibarn almost wished he hadn't said anything; the look of utter devastation was enough to tear his heart in two.

2091! Now.. A thousand years lay between him... and the real Tibarn... Enraged, he screamed, "Why did you kiss me?"

The hawk boss wondered briefly if telling the truth- that he hoped it would lead to consensual sex- would be the right answer. He decided that answer by answering, "Because you're a pretty sub-human that I want to make my pet. And, plus, you didn't seem to be complaining." Not too far from the truth.

Reyson blushed fiercely. "Sub-human! Pet! You're not Tibarn, my Tibarn... Oh, goddess... My dear sister Leanne, father... Ike! Soren, Titania... Elincia, Sanaki... All of them.. gone..." He fell to his knees, covering his face; the ground and everything else seeming so far away. Is this how the potion spell was to work? He'll get what he wanted, but it wasn't exactly how he expected it to happen? A thousand years in the future, and that Tibarn, disloyal to the laguz name, so far as to call them sub-human and make them pets! His eyes burned, his heart heavy.

Tibarn nodded at Ulki and Januff, and they grabbed the heron as he sat distraught in the grass. At first, it seemed to be a relatively simple task, until the heron began fighting back and managed to sock Januff a good one. But, he soon began to wear his already worn body out. So he began singing, a melancholy song that slowed the world around them. The Boss immediately recognized the galdr, knowing that upon its completion they would be completely immobilized. Before his limbs could stiffen any further, he clutched the heron my his throat, and began squeezing, the song ending in a horrid squeak as the sub-human struggled to breathe.

"Stop singing," Tibarn ordered. If they were to become paralyzed, they would be caught by Oliver- and that wasn't worth the heron's beseeching tears. He still wasn't able to stand the site of them, and he let him go.

"Leave me be! I will not become your pet!" He took in deep shuddering gasps, tears streaming down his face. "I'd live in this world alone before that happens."

Ulki's ears twitched restlessly. "Oliver's coming, and it seems he's bringing an entourage of lords with him. If we want to be out of sight before he arrives, it's best to leave now. We should leave the sub-human. He's broken." He and Januff took to the sky, hoping their boss would follow them.

Tibarn knew the safe, right thing to do- but to leave such a lovely conquest, such prideful- yet, desperate- eyes and exquisite features. To Oliver! When he could be his? It seemed like a crime, and Tibarn knew a bit about that. However, the sub-human made it easy for him.

"Oliver, of Begnion?" Reyson's face twisted in obvious horror.

Finding this weak spot, Tibarn rose a bit into the air, making a mock effort to fly away. "Yes. And since you desire it so much, I'll leave you alone, here."

"N-No! Take me with you! Not Oliver!"

"Oliver's not here. So you will be alone," Tibarn told him, a cruel smile playing over his face.

His Tibarn wasn't usually this way to him- his enemies, yes, but to him, whom he had protected for so many years? Ashamedly, he grabbed onto Tibarn's hovering legs, face blushing furiously, and whispered, "Please, Tibarn, take me with you... I don't want to be alone here." The sudden realization hit him that he meant that. He absolutely did not want to be left in this strange year alone, anywhere, in this Tellius city or whatever country or continent they were in. Everything he knew was gone- he was already alone in that respect. He felt himself be lifted by his waist, then turned horizontally onto Tibarn's arms. He kept his eyes closed, shut to keep in any tears that might escape.

Oh, for so long had he wished to be in Tibarn's arms...But this, now, filled him with complete emptiness.

Tibarn squeezed the heron closer to him, hoping he wasn't broken, because the pain wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot.


	2. Asteroid

**AN: **Okay, I'm on the last chapter of Radiant Dawn, and, seriously, I'm sure I'm not going to get any further into characterization than I already have. At least, that's what I think as I remember back when I had finished Path of Radiance. So yea... RADIANT DAWN CHARACTERS. We're going to pretend that all the new information that I play out in future chapters would be represented (in invisible words) in the first chapters, if the first chapter wasn't clear. Don't understand? Basically, I'm going to make this a Radiant Dawn Fanfic- We can view chapter one as a prologue, you know?

Spoilers for both series... Well... Not really... There's not much to spoil. But hey, I'm putting that out there.

So yea… Lost my internet and was slow on getting a flashdrive.

Asteroid

Januff, upon seeing the balcony of their temporary apartment occupied with more bodyguards- some of them not of their gang's brown and black colors- and the sleek, ostentatiously red limo parked in the lot, cursed. He knew that Daien's boss, Ashnard, was coming to check on them, again. He told Tibarn so.

"He's probably ready to bust a cap as soon as the time's up," Tibarn remarked. He looked down at the boy staring blankly at nothing.

Reyson's eyes focused more when they landed on the balcony, several of the men dressed in bulking suits separating upon their arrival, even those obviously not of Phoenicies. He was only mildly surprised when Tibarn wrapped a collar, attached to a leash, around his neck, and when he spoke, his voice seemed, though he was whispering to him and the fake Januff and Ulki, to come from far away: "Now, I had traveled out early this morning for a good flight, and met Oliver at noon. Let's just say I bought him at some private auction this morning, and picked him up after the Begnion meeting. One of you see to it that we get some forged documents; it'll be too much of a coincidence to Oliver." They nodded, and pushed away the opaque glass double doors. Reyson immediately sensed the distressing, oppressive biorhythm that was Ashnard, his muscles stiffening up as if to ready himself for battle.

Tibarn, and the other two Hawks, were pleased to see that Ashnard didn't have his pet Leanne with him. At least, not where Reyson could see. Ashnard was wearing his usual intimidating attire: black, form-fitting leather pieced together with vivid red lining, and, as some sort of dramatic addition, a broad cape, black, across one shoulder. About his waist were his belts and holsters for his guns, and, Reyson saw with a distasteful eye, a whip. Instinctively, the heron spread out his chest to the remarkably alive Ashnard of Daien. Tibarn, however, fearing trouble with the notorious Ashnard, pulled Reyson close to his body, predictably feeling aroused as the heat exchanged between their clothing.

"Phoenicies," greeted Ashnard, smiling the wicked grin that Tibarn was always prone to receiving- maybe now more so since his chest was bare, "I have delightful news for you- well, for everyone in Tellius."

Tibarn was relieved that this visit obviously had nothing to do with the truce bargain, and he relaxed and decided to show Ashnard a little courtesy, for, so far, he hadn't done anything wrong. "How about we sit down, now? Or perhaps you're leaving soon?" Please leave soon, Tibarn thought privately, desperately. The heron at his side seemed ready to strike, if herons ever did strike. It seemed as if Reyson held Ashnard as highly as Oliver, something, across a thousand years, that they had in common.

Unfortunately, Ashnard sat down in the biggest, brown chair in the room, with a slightly slanted back and comfortable, poofed armrests- Tibarn's chair. Guards of both sides noted this with amusement, but didn't betray the fact on their faces; Januff and Ulki both rolled their eyes at this obvious ploy to get on Tibarn's nerves. The Hawk boss was, bitterly, reduced to settling in the guest chair, a mere pad on a wooden frame. His giant form creaked the foundations a bit, and he realized, though he truly wouldn't mind it otherwise, that it would have been rude to give Ashnard such a shitty chair. Reyson stood in his bonds, and it was at this moment standing out between the two bosses, that the Daien leader noticed him, eying him appreciatively, much to Reyson's complete and utter mortification.

"A promising acquisition. After a bit of probing, he will do anything you want."

Reyson furrowed his eyebrows at this, but Tibarn pulled him to his knees at his feet. Strong hands tangled in his hair, and for a moment he was rendered speechless at the sensation.

Hoping not to provoke Reyson any further, Tibarn redirected the conversation: "So what is the news? You seem to be brimming with excitement." He wondered slightly if he should really want to know what Ashnard had to say, so much so that he couldn't go back to his place and get Leanne to show off, as he usually did. There were some things Ashnard liked, that Tibarn would rather keep deep in a tomb.

"It's Goldoa!" Ashnard said enthusiastically. "They've retreated further into themselves. In order to separate from the toil and boil of Tellius, they are announcing utter seclusion."

"That's hardly any news. As you've said, hardly have they interacted with the rest of us anyway."

The black-donned boss now leaned forward eagerly; Tibarn involuntarily leaned back, pulling Reyson's hair with him. "They have a new policy, in effect just this weekend: they are ridding themselves of all their sub-human associates, members or otherwise. Just dumping them downtown where anyone can take them. What's that? About two-hundred, three-hundred?"

This... This was horrible news! Tibarn couldn't believe how happy this was making Ashnard- wait, yes he could. The man was an insufferable sadistic fuck, Tibarn thought with such bitterness, he could taste the loathing on his tongue.

"I was thinking," Ashnard continued, completely aware of Phoenicies' discomfort, "of just having a hunt. Having to sell them all over the country would be too much work, don't you think so?"

"I completely disagree."

"How about first-come first-served? Just a grab-and-go party downtown. Wouldn't that be fun?"

It was no different from a hunt, Tibarn knew, thinking about this wryly. There wasn't anything he could do, if he wished to avoid war, except capture as many sub-humans as he can, but since Goldoa was ridding itself of sub-humans... There would be no refuge to them, unless he let them join his gang.

"Wait, what about Boss Goldoa? Is he going to leave?"

"I guess those of direct descent to lead Goldoa are staying, unless they really want to make themselves vulnerable and take away their most important players." Ashnard gave him another one of those ugly smiles. "Wouldn't that be interesting?"

Horrible was what Tibarn hoped to have said with a glare.

"Well, I'm going to do what I'm want to do. Just wanted everyone in on the joyous news."

"You incorrigible bastard!" Reyson stood to his feet, shocked to witness the conversation, and how Tibarn had so passively- though rather negatively- reacted to Ashnard's plans. He was shaking from head to foot; in a thousand years, a reincarnated Ashnard was still to be a terrible human! In the depths of his subconscious, this also meant that Tibarn had a bit of himself- which he had clearly seen as the hate etched into his features as he listened to Ashnard's news. Still, Tibarn of old would've ripped him limb from limb- as he often said- and would never have tolerated such talk. Reyson's fury was mind-blowing.

Tibarn stiffened in shock, knowing that all Ashnard needed to do at this point was snap his fingers, and his guards will unleash a rain of bullets on Reyson.

But Ashnard was in a good mood, which, though very surprising to some, he was in most of the time- even if he was an evil bastard. He simply smiled at the heron's audacity, amused, and addressed Tibarn, "I see he's new."

"Just got him at an auction today," lied Tibarn, albeit anxious to let the meeting end. Despite Ashnard's good moods, he was prone to some horrible ones as well. "Haven't gotten the chance to really do much of anything."

"Start now, as compensation for his insult."

Tibarn, wishing no further distresses to the wicked boss, abruptly let go of Reyson's leash, much to _his_ surprise. He felt him stand behind him, and so turned to the face that was now so full of pity, furrowed with sympathy, that Reyson knew the Hawk was about to do something dreadful. The time passed, and Reyson continued to stare at his face, and a oppressive nervousness boiled within him. He backed up minimally only to be grabbed in a vice-like grip. As he stood in shock, Tibarn clutched his other wrist in his one hand. The boss then looked back at Ashnard.

"I can't think of anything."

"Really?" The sarcasm oozed.

"Really."

Ashnard pressed his fingers together as if contemplating the possibilities.

Januff and Ulki watched the interaction silently, hoping that the Daien boss was in a really, really good mood and didn't wish for anything too harsh for the heron, but that was highly unlikely. Never had they stood in the man's presence for so long, but with so many guards around- and so many not their own- they couldn't just sneak out of the meeting like they usually did. They would have done just about anything to not witness the heron's humiliation.

Clapping his hands together, Ashnard said, "I got it. First, I would like you to bear his body to me. Since he probably won't do it on his own, just cut his clothes apart."

"Tibarn, wait!" Reyson cried; Tibarn was already unsheathing his dagger. He fought against the boss's superior strength and had his arms effortlessly pulled over his head, so that he was barely standing on the tip of his toes. "Please! Don't do this! Tibarn!"

"Not Master, or Lord Phoenicies, or even Sir Tibarn! Just your name! How untamed," chided Ashnard, as if taking more offense on Reyson's talk of familiarity than when he had called him a bastard. "It hurts my ears to hear him talk."

The bones in his wrists cracked as Tibarn pressed them against each other. His eyes were eerily firm. "You will call me Master."

Furious, Reyson yelled, "I will not!" A sharp slap to the face made him regret it, but still: "Let go of me! You are not my master!"

"Do you think that will suffice? A few more times, Phoenicies!" Ashnard provoked, laughing.

The second strike had bells ringing, but Reyson pursed his lips together and glared defiantly. His insides coiled as Tibarn balled his hand, and the pain of being struck so mightily with that huge fist, by that hand which he had wanted to hold for so long, made his knees weak. Both elbows cracked as he sank, completely controlled by Tibarn's grip. Another hit, and Ashnard began to guffaw ostentatiously.

"Crying already?"

Ashamedly, it was true. Hot tears, many of them, ran streaks down his face. His old Tibarn would have been shamed as well.

Tibarn raised his chin. "What will you call me?" he asked softly.

For a second, Reyson thought to rebel again, but his face felt swollen, and he didn't want to give Ashnard anymore satisfaction.

"Master..."

"Now, he'll be a good pet for a few days, but I can bet you'll be soft as soon as I leave, Phoenicies. Oh, well, get on with it." The demon lord, as Reyson now vehemently thought of him, settled back comfortably to watch, and to give instruction when Tibarn finally moved.

Tibarn quickly cut through the front of Reyson's robe, the material making a soft, almost pleasant tearing sound. Reyson attempted to curl into himself to hide his nudity, but Tibarn pulled him from the floor with ease; Reyson's arms ached terribly, his anger and embarrassment immense as both Bosses stared at his naked body. He regretted the love potion with every fiber of his being, including his wings, which were not present. He was set on his feet after awhile, and when asked to turn around to give them a full view, he transported his mind to another realm, wishing desperately for his own time. Somehow, he could sense the cruelty to come.

But at the moment, Tibarn and Ashnard could only look at the heron in admiration, seeing the thick collar at his neck making him all the more naked. Tiny little scars betrayed earlier gashes, and his long, shockingly robust sinew showed them he was more than a pretty face, back rippling with flexible muscles- Tibarn could just imagine how the boy would have fought if he was at full strength. No bird pet in Tellius had quite the body his pet did. He tried thinking about how lucky he was to get such a beautiful pet- instead of how aroused he was getting over said pet.

Ashnard suddenly whipped out his wallet and then his checkbook; a guard nearby gave him a jewel-studded pen. The demon lord grinned smugly.

"I'm not selling him," Tibarn said quickly, giving Janaff a quick nod, guessing the show had touched a new level, and the sub-human pressed one of Tibarn's jackets over the heron's shoulders. The boy was strangely quiet again, eyes unfocused once more.

"Not even for an entente alliance? Just between our gangs? You will be impervious to any of my antics." He held the checkbook as if Phoenicies will eventually cave in.

And the Hawk was terribly tempted. It sounded like the best deal since being offered to be the boss of Phoenicies- maybe even better. It was easier to suck up to the other countries, but Daien was always a bane- but there was a downside. If there was ever a war in Tellius, Phoenicies will be expected to side with Daien; both Tibarn and Ashnard knew that deep down. Maybe there was a plan Ashnard had for that, and Tibarn truly didn't have any wishes for it.

"I'll never set foot near your gang again. A free trade could be established- almost anything you have ever wanted between us," Ashnard continued, waving his pen around expectantly.

Reyson's head pounded; with his new situation, he couldn't even concentrate on his own feelings, or that of others. Now he could feel the Daien's boss's lust rolling off him in revolting waves. And there was something deeper and darker beneath that, something that yearned to hurt him in imaginable ways. Nothing Reyson was too interesting in, either. But it was rebuffed by Tibarn's surprisingly resolved emotions- he had no intention of giving him up and, quite to Reyson's involuntary interest, had a bit of lust of his own. By instinct, Reyson moved closer to him.

With this display of desperate affection, Tibarn forced out his shoulders protectively, and Ashnard's good mood went blew away.

"What is this, sub-human?" he spat. "Phoenicies has a new sweet spot! A Gapped, broken heron-" His rant stopped there, and he answered his phone. Then a hearty argument between his second-in-command Petrine commenced, and he, in his usual single-minded way, left Tibarn's apartment, checkbook still in hand. His guards, used to his quick changes, followed immediately after them. Januff flew out the balcony to make sure he was truly leaving- if the argument were to stop early, the Daien boss would surely remember to come back and resume his bargaining. But that was no worry, still on his phone, he entered his car and was driven off some ways.

"I'm gonna tell the others not to let him in anymore for a while."

"Until this week is over," agreed Tibarn. "He'll be satisfied with that, at least." Januff went to spread the order. The others, including Ulki, who had a smaller room next door to the grand earthy-colored apartment, went off to leave Tibarn and the heron alone. The latter had pulled the coat tighter about him as he curled into himself on the floor, head buried in the encasement his arms made with his knees.

When all was quiet for a long time, Reyson thought he was alone, and brought his face up, looking around. But he saw Tibarn in the chair Ashnard had vacated some time ago.

"It has been half an hour you sat there meditating, heron," Tibarn informed him, cautiously avoiding that phrase that he was so shocked to hear earlier.

"It is Reyson. Not heron, not pet and not sub-human."

"Shall I punish you again? Maybe a stick will help?" The Hawk boss had no intention of harming him anymore than he had, unless the heron truly provoked him, but he did wish to subdue Reyson- such a bright, appropriate name for the heron- if he didn't want another incident like Ashnard's fake indignation. Oliver would no doubt put that sharp tongue to better use if it were ever to insult him as it did Ashnard. The thought made Tibarn shudder.

Reyson did so, too, burying his head again.

"Come to me, Reyson." The command gave Tibarn a secret thrill, and he tried to hide his pleasure, yet Reyson's surprised face rose and became even more surprised at his flushed state. He stood, face aflame, the jacket falling from his shoulders, so Tibarn couldn't help but rake his eyes over the ruddy athletic form.

"You horrible lecher! You are worse than Ashnard and Oliver combined!"

Tibarn knew that the- Reyson, the brat! How could he say something so insulting with such ferocity? He didn't care if he didn't mean it. By now, his anger was past consolation. He matched the sub-human's stance, bare chest to bare chest, roaring, "Then maybe I'll give you to one or the other since I am twice the worse they are alone!"

It was as if the heron realized what he had said, but his pride kept him from backing down, and with smugness, he replied, "You wouldn't; you wouldn't even share me for a little while. You want me all to yourself."

Cuirse it, he's right, thought Tibarn, feeling foolish for the heron to catch his bluff. "Take it back! If you don't, and you truly feel that I am worse than the two of them, I will get rid of you." And that was true.

Fresh tears rolled. "You know it is not true." And Tibarn did know.

Relieved, Tibarn asked, "So you take it back?"

"I want to believe it, and that's all that matters." Reyson pouted petulantly, feeling absurdly pleased to have riled Tibarn so much, and went further. "And soon it will come to me that it _is_ true, but that I have suffered too much to believe it now. And I will be the most horrible, unyielding pet you have ever had in your bed! But your lust will keep me until you think I will yield!"

At this, Tibarn saw red, slamming the heron against the wall. Fiercely, he vowed, "My lust will not need your yielding. And, put this into your stubborn head, I would soon break that already loose jaw of yours and shove my organ down your throat before you insult me again. Because of your already sensitive countenance, I will let it- No! I will break that habit now. Take it back."

But Reyson made the wrong move to purse his lips and turn away, so that Tibarn lost all reason. The Hawk boss now threw Reyson face-first to the floor, and he luckily caught himself on his hands, but the enraged Tibarn seemed to change his mind, pulling him by his hair onto his knees. Such in a state of shock was he, Reyson didn't notice Tibarn was freeing himself from the confines of his pants. When the immense organ finally jutted wetly onto his face, he suddenly knew what the hawkman wanted- and how eerily close he was to avoiding a situation even more dire. But Tibarn had held back, just as he was doing now; his angry demeanor, his solid anger and lust pent-up, all this scared Reyson into realizing he had been acting horrible. This was his world no more. This was how they treated his kind here. This was the Tibarn they had.

"Tch! Crying one moment and the next being the biggest rebel for Tellius to ever had fall in its city!" Tibarn went to his own knees, still a good head above Reyson, but bending over so that he could wrap his arms completely around him, no matter how uncomfortable his back went, or how stiff he was below. How was he going to take care of that? The heron wasn't helping in the least, what with him crying into his chest, shuddering and sweaty, and still smelling like spring flowers. And naughty Tibarn, though not entirely guiltless, couldn't help but feel big-headed that he could direct him to such a state. He could only hope that he shook some of that rebellion out- his life was at stake.

Eventually, he stopped his sobbing, and Tibarn held him until he was ready...


	3. Meteorite

**AN: **My own laptop feels great. Sorry that this chapter is so long, but it was great that I could make a cliffie. I like those things.

**Warnings: **Disorganized POV, buuuuut Rafiel semi-nude. That's about it. Some subtle sexual stuff, but that's about it. Enjoy.

**I got reviews! I am so happy. :D I really like this. I hope more of you readers share your feelings as well. They are a huge part of the writing process (they continue the writing process, if I do say so myself!)**

Meteorite

Januff came back more than two hours later, having had decided to get started on the fake documents for Reyson, an expensive process if done right. It cost a good deal of money to persuade a dealer to stage a nonexistent private auction, and then have his friends attest as witnesses to the whole plan, too. It wasn't that they were afraid they were going to get caught- such people with no affiliations only worried about interfering too much with any one gang's plans- but it didn't mean they should miss the chance to suck all the dough they could from the situation. All in all, it was a good three hundred grand for the counterfeit pedigrees and bribery. Januff had worse deals. Like when he afterward bought a few clothes for Reyson. The shopkeeper wasn't their personal tailor, and thus charged ridiculous prices for the few shirts and jeans he wanted.

On coming back, he found Tibarn talking on the phone to Hatari's Boss Nailah, rubbing his face now and again in weariness. He told her that he doesn't know if he'll be able to handle himself. Reyson, he told her, was no where near like Rafiel or Leanne. Tibarn believed in a little resistance, of course, but Reyson seemed the type to have to be beaten into submission, the type Tibarn knew too well would have to be set free in Goldoa.

"_Except_," Nailah's irritated deep voice spoke, "_That is no longer an option. Can you believe it?_"

"Oh, I had forgotten that. Who did you hear it from?"

"_Rafiel heard it when getting groceries and came back and told me._"

"Are you saying," Tibarn said in a mock shocked voice, "that you left him out alone? My goodness, I thought he was just too delicate to be let outdoors in the harsh sunlight, the blowing winds, the rough sidewalk-"

"_That's enough, you annoying man. He was heavily guarded and went into the best part of town._"

"Would you let him here unguarded with the best man in town?" Tibarn asked naughtily.

Nailah laughed, "_Do you count me as a guard?_"

Their laughing put Januff in a better mood and he went to check on Reyson, presumably in Tibarn's main room. The door was slightly ajar, so the Hawk slipped through noiselessly, placing the clothes on Tibarn's large bed. Of course, Reyson couldn't hear him. The heron, now awake from a short much-needed nap, was inspecting the television remote with intense curiosity, turning it which and and that, and then finally switching it over to the back to fiddle with the removable back. Upon taking it off, he shook out the batteries. Januff tried, surprisingly successfully, not to laugh when Reyson pressed one of the batteries into his mouth, grimacing at the taste.

That was the final bit of info he got from those artifacts, so he put them back in the stick and pressed on the back, following the pictures. Reyson found that the soft pads could be pushed deeply, like little levers, and the wand would light up. It seemed like a child's toy, with no other purpose than for entertainment for the easily pleased. But it made him curious that all the pads had different words or symbols, so he went through the tedious task of pressing each one. When he got to the off-centered POWER lever, a small high-pitched sound reached his ears along with voices, and a flickering of lights flickered across the floor. Reyson looked up to see that the black box holding the black mirror was doing the magic.

On the television, Januff saw that Reyson had inadvertently turned to one of the... saucier channels of their cable providor. Two sub-human ravens, both female, kissed and caressed each other with knowing hands, throwing expertly timed glances towards the camera as it zoomed to various parts of their bodies. When the two began to explore each other more deeply, the heron turned off the television.

What in the world was that? Reyson continued his exploration of the buttons- that's what they felt like- and realized soon that none of the others could do magic with the black box. He pressed the POWER button again, warily. He was surprised that the scene had changed, to a colorful scene of various impossibly shaped characters. This was more innocuous than before, for there were children laughing in the background. The foremost character would ask a question, looking around in confusion, the children in the background would giggle and tell him the correct answer. But Reyson wondered... How did they get there? He touched the picture to find out, only to bump into a flexible membrane that distorted the piece of picture he pressed. He began sliding his fingers over the shield, misshaping the characters. They didn't seem to mind at all.

"Tibarn's going to kill you if he sees you messing up his plasma screen like that," Januff said, but Reyson was so absorbed in his discovery he didn't notice. He took up the remote again and, as if realizing that pressing the buttons would change the channels, began doing just that. Nearly all the channels were available, and Reyson would cock his head at those that showed up blank, or ones that went to a channel he previously went to. Soon he found the channel button.

That button didn't need the aid of the others, and Reyson didn't have to wait for the black box to figure out the wand. Automatically it went to other pictures. Some were obviously drawn, but others had real creatures. One picture only showed animals- a hawk capturing a mouse in the wilderness. Soon he got back to the saucy channels, all of which worked perfectly.

Januff felt his boss come up behind him. He whispered to him, "You don't have all the movie channels, but you have _these_."

Tibarn merely cleared his throat.

At that familiar voice, Reyson discovered his audience. He was just about to happily relay his findings before realizing that the wand and box wouldn't be new to them. But he was also very curious, yet loathe to show it. It would be almost like accepting his abhorrent fate; might as well surrender his life to Future Tibarn without another struggle. He will not do that, for as long as possible, he will not give in, even if he were to be beaten a thousand times. Still, he was _so _curious. Instead of sitting there dumb, he gave Tibarn a scowl then, pointing at the box, asked Januff, "What's that?"

The look was not lost on either Hawk, but Tibarn held his tongue when Januff answered sheepishly, "It's what we call pornography."

"The box is called pornography?"

"No, no, the box is a television. It's one of the devices we use to watch pornography." Januff got to the floor next to Reyson and saw that the heron had found one of Tibarn's robes, and it loosely fell away from him to reveal a pink nipple. Too loudly, he continued, "This is a remote. It changes what you see, called channels.. Let's get out of these channels....Aaaand....This one is the animal channel, here's the news, some cartoons, some drama..."

"What are the channels for?"

"So you can find something you want to watch."

"What are cartoons?"

"Drawn movies..."

"What's a movie?"

As Januff went through Reyson's length of questions, which became more and more specific and more and more beyond Januff's means to reply, Tibarn took this opportunity to get closer to Reyson, inching towards him. Tibarn and he were about to go on a trip, to Nailah's, and Tibarn wished to prepare him to see someone like himself, someone who was quite happy where he was. Of course, Tibarn wouldn't be too unhappy beneath Nailah, but if he valued his wings connected to his back, he will never say so. The boss would have called the heron from the doorway, but he was sure that Reyson would have ignored him or gone off to the bathroom to hide or something. Finally, he was just behind Januff, and Reyson suddenly recognized he was there.

"I have no idea how satellite waves connect to television screens," Januff confessed, his brain feeling fried from the questions. He recognized Reyson's apprehensive look, catching his hands before he could fall backwards away from Tibarn. "Hey, don't be afraid. He won't hurt you."

"You would not say that if you were here earlier," Reyson growled. "Unhand me."

Tibarn tried to keep his mind straight as Reyson struggled, loosening more of his robe from himself so that expanses of smoothly scarred flesh appeared. He reached around Januff, blocking the television and took Reyson by the forearms, ignoring the sudden spark of fear in Reyson's green eyes. But then the robe fell open, and the pale skin flushed. Suddenly, he looked so _vulnerable_. He pulled him up and closer.

The unmistakeable look of lust faced Reyson, and he wasn't sure what to do. What he wanted was to hit Tibarn as hard as possible but, despite his internal promise, he feared how much it would hurt for the hawk to hit him back. His cheekbone still smarted from earlier. If the man did anything more than look, he compromised, he was going to kick him- Goddess, if he was kicked back...

"Boss, you want some time alone?" Januff asked, respectfully, though wishing that Tibarn would not take this opportunity to get physical with the heron.

"No.." It was an absentmindedly reply, what the Boss's better conscience answered, but his body wouldn't answer to let go- or even set Reyson back on his feet. So then his conscience made it known the dark purple bruise on Reyson's left cheek, and now the beginning of tears in his eyes. Soon, he gained control of himself, and what he wanted in the first place. "Get dressed, Reyson. We're going to Nailah's." He let him go reluctantly; a few sexual organs twisted in sexual frustration

"The Wolf woman? Is Rafiel with her?" Reyson asked immediately, becoming suspicious when Tibarn looked away to pick up some clothes off the bed, a brown vest and a pair of rough-looking blue pants. After a bit of quiet from both hawks, ignoring the way Tibarn tried to distract him by putting on his clothes, he went further, "Is Rafiel,"- The vest pulled over his head, a little too big-"her-I can put those on myself!" He pulled on the loose undergarment while Tibarn pulled the leash and collar from the inside of his vest. Next were the pants, which weren't as rough as he believed, but nothing like his robes.

The heron was now preoccupied with his clothing, putting on his boxers and jeans, then his socks and shoes, which Januff had seen the measurements accurately, and was fortunate to find a pair. Reyson scowled when Tibarn spread perfumed lotion over his face, neck, and arms; Januff brushed and tied back his hair. When they were finished, Reyson sat on the bed as they admired their handiwork.

"For two men, I think we did pretty well," Januff remarked, hunching over with a smirk.

"I agree." He smiled back at his subordinate. "Give me a minute. I want to talk to him." One eyebrow answered him, and Januff left. Suspicious eyes burned holes in his back, so he turned around, settling on his knees in front of Reyson, whose eyes were narrow, face guarded. It went to stone when Tibarn took his hands.

The hands were warm, massaging. This made Reyson only more wary, at the same time battling the butterflies flying around his stomach. He wanted to tell them to stop, this man trying to butter him up was not the real Tibarn. He was a man who would hit his face for a bastard like Ashnard.

"I'm sorry for hitting you."

Oh, _hell_. The stupid insects fluttered happily.

"You must _not _provoke me. I'm immune to human medicine that could help me control my temper."

What was Tibarn saying?

"I would like to ask, since you seem to know a lot of people in this time, if you know a man named Izuka?" From the heron's sour face, he got his answer.

"I never seen him personally, but the old you had killed him in my time. I _heard_ a lot about the wretched creature."

"Oh, yes, he's wretched, and one of Ashnard's most gifted henchmen. Now, I'm not sure if you know what this means to you, but he made me, and had me for quite a few years, Feral-"

The look on his face showed how much that surprised him. Tibarn felt the boy's heartbeat skip at the word; fear predominately took its hold over his entire body. Tibarn quickly stood up, backing away with his hands up.

"Don't worry. Rafiel-yes, Nailah's slave- got me into better shape. But there are certain triggers I wish to avoid; some I can't, like... You. I like you, Reyson. Honestly, it is very physical at the moment,"-He was rambling, but the heron had started to sweat anxiously-"but we could make something out of it, since I have to have you... permanently.."

"Why?" His own mouth was too dry to say anything more.

"It's this stupid thing Ashnard is pressuring the rest of us gang lords to do, or else face a war. We have to find sub- um, pets. And we are to keep them forever, or until Ashnard dies or something. The deadline is in a few days, so I've decided on you, Reyson."

"Why not Ulki or Januff!?" cried Reyson. He truly feared for his life now.

"Well, because, to me, they aren't all that attractive. And they're not approved to be pets; they're too strong, too knowledgeable of the world already. But those like you, who come from the past somehow and drop here far into the future, those that fall in the Gaps of time, it's easy, well, to control you. You know nothing."

"I'm lost. I've... lost..."

Tibarn risked a step forward, then took the clammy hands again. "There's little chance that I will hurt you ever again as long as you don't excite my wrath, Reyson."

"But... Your... Uhm...Other trigger.." Reyson trailed off nervously.

"To be honest, I did not bring you here just so I can help you assimilate into society as my pet. There are things I want from you as well."

He had feared that much, just as much as Tibarn feared the question. But it was all out now.

"Set me free..."

"You want to be captured by someone else other than me?"

"Let me go back!" he screamed desperately, standing up before Tibarn with fierce eyes. However, the golden irises only made his heart drop, and Tibarn shook his head.

"No one has found a way for your kind to go back." And Tibarn, horrible creature he was, probably wouldn't have told him if such a backwards path did exist. The heron's face crumpled in grief, and the Boss begged, "Please, don't cry. I know it hurts, and that I'll probably never understand such a horrible circumstance, but does it ease your heart, just a small part of it, that you know some of the people here?"

Softly, so softly Tibarn could hardly hear, Reyson answered, "I'm glad... Just a little bit glad that all of you are here. But.. You all are so different... Everything is so different."

"It is. Wait- Ashnard was different?"

"No, the hellspawn is no different, nor Izuka or Oliver. It is _you_ and the rest who are different."

"Well," Tibarn thought for a moment, "Are we really different? Or are we just following different paths than before?"

This struck Reyson quiet. Thought marked his features.

Tibarn felt he chipped the old stone and pressed his luck, "I know damn well I'm not your 'old Tibarn', but considering everything that has happened as I grew and as he grew, aren't we remarkably similar in any way?"

Much to Reyson's chagrin, he began to realize when Tibarn would lose his temper, barely reigning in his fury even in the presence of his brethren, often flying off when the matter could not be resolved soon enough or when it escalated past a point where he could control himself. Or when his excitement erode another's lack of desire, or another's fear, even if that other was the one to initiate the excitement in the first place. He remembered when Tibarn could get so worried and controlling that nothing but a Sleep could keep him from _keeping_ another from harm. Now Reyson had been on that end of the stick, but never one to goad him so harshly, as the words he had said before, and never one as the object of his desires, though Reyson sincerely wished he could be.

All in all, he realized that this Tibarn, who probably didn't know laguz from beorc, wasn't all that different from Tibarn of the past- and Reyson could truly believe that if Tibarn was changed by some Feral poison, he would no doubt become ten times worse in his worse aspects, and minus all the worry.

"A little." That was such a flagrant lie, he heard Tibarn laugh.

"So sincere." Tibarn stood, and Reyson kept his face away.

Avoiding the amber eyes like this, Reyson noticed Tibarn's clothes, like his except he wore a green jacket over his brown shirt, and brown boots. He also still sheathed the small metal machines, whips, and knives. Unable to help himself, he hugged Tibarn around the waist, breathing in his earthy scent.

"Now, now, we have to go." By everything he lived for, Tibarn did not want to. "There's a meeting about Goldoa's plan for this weekend. We even have Crimea's Mercenaries coming."

"Mercenaries? I thought there was no war-"

"Oh, we just call Tellius's police that. It just seems that whenever there is a gang war, Crimea is all too willing to give their all to the police to stop the wars. Come." Tibarn took the leash, blatantly avoiding the hateful glare Reyson burned into his hand, and separated himself from the heron. Ulki was there filling Januff on the reason why they were going to Nailah's, as he had just Tibarn explain. They gathered some other guards- some sub-human, some regular-and went down to the garage.

While Reyson was busy admiring the lights coming on and off, or staring in amazement as cars passed on the streets all the way down below, Ulki gave Tibarn a look, then directed his gaze at the elevator. From earlier Gapped sub-humans, they've learned that the elevator was not something they liked. Some didn't like how it controlled their direction, others the way it moved, others the closed in spaced, others were extremely disposed to the glass container and being able to see everything that controlled the elevator. Tibarn only nodded, and they hurriedly shoved Reyson inside the elevator.

"What's this?"

"An elevator," Tibarn answered. "Don't look down."

Reyson didn't like it. The doors closed by themselves, and the four of them plus three guards were too much in this cramped space. Tibarn pressed a button, the lowest one, and the elevator began to move, showing each floor they passed. He looked up and saw the devices and ropes that held the contraption together. Then he went against Tibarn's wishes and looked down.

And saw the long way down. If this elevator were to malfunction, he would be trapped. If the ropes were to break, he would fall multiple levels to his doom. Tibarn took him by the shoulders, whispering, "Now, I told you not to look. Are you scared?"

"No, but I do have a feeling that this machine could stop working."

"It could, but it rarely does. Of the twenty years I've used this building, only once has it stopped, and the cables never broke."

"You promise?"

"Promise."

Reyson spent the rest of the ride staring straight ahead at nothingness, not thinking about the elevator or the moving floors, but he did feel the easing tension in his stomach when we got nearer and nearer to the ground floor. Finally, an unseen bell rung and they were in a gigantic, dark place filled with more foreign machines, these with wheels and windows like beorc carriers.

"These are cars. They ride around like carriages... without the animals. Here comes mine." Another bodyguard rode up in his limousine, handing over the driver's seat to Januff. The silent guards then left them. Tibarn and Reyson sat in the back while Ulki and Januff rode up front. Tibarn smiled when Reyson grabbed his hand when the car started, and squeezed back as the car moved.

"Why don't we just fly?" Reyson breathed nervously.

"Because, in this Tellius, there are many humans who would try to wound us if we fly. There are weapons worse than arrows that can reach us,"-he tapped his little metal machine- "and require half the amount of skill. This car would block most weapons' damage."

"And there are laws against it," Ulki added, "You wouldn't believe the number of sub-humans that would kidnap civilians and do... things to them."

Well, that was understandable.

"Plus, you ain't got wings, yet," Januff said. "I bet you don't want to be carried around by Boss forever, do you?"

Reyson then noticed the feeling of emptiness on his back. Funny, he thought he would be more sensitive if he ever lost his wings, at least, that was what he believed whenever he had thought about it. But it seemed so natural at the moment- and they would not have fit in the car. He wondered if they were gone forever, then remembered that Tibarn flew here. Somehow, there was a magical aspect to bringing out one's wings.

He saw other cars on the streets: some different colors, others too small, others even larger than the one they were in, some whose frames were close to the ground, others with huge wheels, elevating the riders some as far as three feet from the ground. The streets were line in yellow and white dotted and undotted boundaries. Blinking lights stopped and moved cars, or slowed or hastened them. Each time Januff sped the car up at the yellow blinking lights, Tibarn would chide him on the ethics of the light. Reyson then asked them how to make the car go faster or slower, and they answered his questions cheerfully, even giving exhilarating examples on how fast the machine could go. Soon, they left the high buildings and came to small, neat, square villages, the houses more or less the same. Then the villages gave way to green plains of corn, in the middle of which were large houses. Those changed to voluptuous forests, where he saw a few deer. Here, there were less lights, then none at all, nor the red signs, and the street became just a dirt path, already overrun with wheel tracks of earlier cars. It was a short time before a mansion came into view, a mansion that could easily cover the amount of space of the village squares. The longer cars- the limos- and shorter cars, covered the driveways. When they.. parked, several guards dressed only in pants escorted them to the doors, then through the corridors to the main lobby, where Crimea's mercenaries-the only ones that were there at the moment- were waiting in the hall for Nailah and her gang to finish the arrangements for the rather hasty meeting. The lobby would lead to the living room area, which had been enlarged to a ballroom for a large amount of guests.

Reyson couldn't help but smile at the familiar strangers standing around. And it was an amusing rippling effect when one of them noticed him.

"Hello, Calill," he greeted. She wore holed stockings that looked like fishnets and a skirt so short he could see the roundness of her bottom. Her long-sleeved black shirt cut into a V down the middle of her chest, leaving very little to the imagination. Her lipsticked smile was just as familiar as anything else.

"What's a pretty thing like you doing with Tibarn?" she asked, pulling him away from said Boss. She couldn't help but roam her eyes appreciatively over his form- and such a pretty face. "Are you.. like Rafiel?"

"If you mean to ask if I'm a heron, then yes..." More people looked at him; Mia and Rhys smiled and waved.

"Anybody else look familiar to you? I noticed that you knew my name."

"Everyone is familiar." Not what they wore, of course. It seemed that no one had a set uniform. They all dressed alike, in terms of casualness. Only Tibarn's guards had any notion of being a group.

"But... Didn't you come here by some Gap from outside Tellius?" Calill asked, confused. She looked at Tibarn for an answer. By curiosity, everyone else looked at him as well.

Tibarn crossed his arms, shaking his hair from his eyes. "It seems we exist in his past, same name and bodies and everything. Well, except that sub-humans weren't kept as pets then, were they?"

"They aren't called sub-humans either. We say laguz, and human is offensive as well, instead its beorc," explained Reyson.

"What's your name, cutie?" This time this was Aimee, who had finished her heated discussion with Ike.

"Reyson."

"Guess there's no need for us to introduce ourselves, either," Calill muttered, then snapped to attention as she heard another car enter the driveway. "Someone else is here!"

"Why are you so excited?" Reyson noticed that, yes, everything was the same, including Soren's uptight attitude; his critical eyes were even narrower than he remembered. "Is it Gallia?"

"No," the blonde purred. "It's Naesala, looking delectable as always."

Naesala walked in, holding the leash to a raven Reyson remembered to be Vika. They both wore all black, Vika in a dress. With a wave, Vika leaned onto a wall, while Naesala let her go, leaving a group of guards between them, dressing in the traditional dark colors of Ravens. Tibarn shook hands with the Kilvas Boss, the Hawk boss gripping a bit longer and harder than was necessary, just a warning that he hadn't forgotten a particular deal that had gone wrong, and that he blamed Naesala completely. But this was neither the time nor the place. Still, the hard glare into each other's eyes was perceived by everyone there.

"Naesala," Reyson hissed.

"Who is he to you?" Tibarn asked, never taking his eyes off the-enemy-of-his-enemy.

"A traitor multiple times over."

"Who's this?" the Kilvas Boss asked, trying to change the uncomfortable atmosphere, and regretting the fact that he didn't bring anything but his special stone."Your pet?"

"His name's Reyson." Finally, Tibarn stopped his glare. "A heron. Like _Leanne_."

Naesala's face hardened; he turned his back on the other two birds and stood by his pet Vika, not saying another word.

Reyson would have asked what was wrong with Leanne- it did perturb him that she, as much as he would have disliked it, was not with Naesala- yet he knew it had to do with Naesala, and he didn't want the added stress, didn't need that extra stress when he could do nothing about it except build on a hate that would eat his heart out.

"Who's that?" Soren asked suddenly.

Calill watched out the window. "Crimea... But Elincia doesn't seem to have her pet anymore. Does she know the deadline is three days?"

Geoffrey and Lucia opened the door for her, Marcia and Bastian shuffled behind her, and several others gathered around. There were no anonymous guards in her troop, yet anyone would say that she was the best protected boss in Tellius. As soon as the others saw the surroundings safe, Ike made his way to her, asking where her pet had gone.

"I don't know," Elincia spoke sadly, as if confused. "The poor thing put me to sleep and managed to leave the headquarters. Maybe if I asked Ashnard very nicely, bribed him somehow, he wouldn't requir-"

"According to my resources, Daien is waiting for that exact sort of opportunity to wage an all-out war."

"Oh," sighed Elincia sadly. "I don't know what to do."

Ike smiled, pressing a hand to her shoulder. "That's what we're here to figure out."

"Ah!" Calill exclaimed.

Soren immediately demanded, once again, "Who is it?"

"Who invited Begnion?"

"If it's just Sanaki," Ike answered, "Then that's me. Anyone else must have caught wind of this meeting." Indeed it was Sanaki, with Tanith and Sigrun, all three migrating to Ike's side. Sanaki looked extremely irritated. "Only Gallia should be left. They're supposed to be sending Skrimir and the regular guards as representatives."

Soren quickly made himself scarce. Reyson couldn't see why; what he remembered from the past was that Skrimir was unusually excited about the beorc, but nothing further than that. But they had parted ways after the Goddess' War, so he wasn't exactly sure of the relationship between the two.

Before Skrimir arrived, Nailah had readied the ballroom for her guests and had her mainly sub-human guards guide them. The large room was filled to the brim mostly with an assortment of chairs decorated around a round table-wooden with several lacy placemats- with seven chairs, three of which had large pillows. Reyson eyed covetously a red and green diamond patterned chair, behind the round table, large and comfortable-looking from every angle, but Tibarn yanked his leash towards the table, to one of the chairs of the round table, one of the chairs with a pillow.

Tibarn heard Reyson hiss disdainfully but felt relieved that that was the worse the heron would do. Still, it was with little confidence he lead his pet to a seat. He set the pillow to the floor, carpeted with what seemed to be a rich, white lather rather than thread, and waited for Reyson to get comfortable before sitting down himself. Vika and Naesala took another seat almost directly across from them. With how high the table was, Reyson could see the other pet completely. She leaned her head in her master's lap. She seemed tired. Reyson had the glancing curiosity to know if she and Naesala had sex, before noticing a racket coming from the lobby.

Everyone turned their heads in that direction. It sounded like slamming doors (it was) and the sound should be made by Soren (it was) because he was the only one there, and many speculated that it had something to do with Skrimir (it did) or Gallia (it didn't) because Soren was so apprehensive of the gang's arrival. Several guards seemed to be trying to persuade Skrimir to leave Soren alone, with little success.

Little patters of angry feet resounded down the hall and Soren quickly made his way behind the group of chairs behind Ike. Upon noticing that Ike had an empty chair next to him, the other occupied by Sanaki, he demanded, "Naesala, Tibarn, one of you sit on Ike' s left side."

"Or what?" Naesala said impudently, settling even more comfortably in his chair.

"I don't know. Maybe TPD will find tons of cocaine in your cars in about fifteen minutes."

"You wouldn't."

Soren flipped out his phone and called the department. When he proceeded to relay details of his blackmailing plan, Tibarn gave Naesala a threatening glare and the Raven, most begrudgingly, went to seat himself on the other side of Ike, who pulled his face in exasperation. Vika lazily crawled under the table, taking her pillow with her.

Skrimir had, by the advice of his second-in-command Ranulf to give the beorc a minute, let Soren run off for exactly sixty seconds. After that helpful deed was done, he thundered down the hallway to the ballroom only to find Soren safely tucked between to groups, and Titania and Oscar. He scowled, taking a seat next to Tibarn, his other side occupied by Elincia, the one closest to the door, with Sanaki next to her. This left Nailah between Naesala and Tibarn. She arrived without Rafiel, looking more ruffled and unruly than ever in nothing but a sports bra and loose cotton shorts.

"What is this?" Sanaki protested, she herself wearing colorful robes, which Reyson believed should make her very warm.

Naesala answered, "She's PMSing," in a whisper.

"No, you sparrow, I'm in heat," Nailah told them blatantly, sitting herself Indian style on her chair.

"Where's Rafiel?" asked Elincia, hoping to steer the conversation further from where it was headed.

"Volug's rutting too. Since Rafiel was so earnest about it, he wanted to help out Volug like he does with me." She smiled. "They look cute together."

"So they're fucking now?" Skirmir asked.

"Where the hell's Boss Gallia?"

Ike leaned forward on the table, shaking his blue hair from his eyes. He had recently lost his bandanna. "Trying to talk some since into Boss Goldoa. Let's get to business."

"Please," Soren muttered.

"The first matter of order today: Ashnard's truce criterion. Three of you haven't fulfilled it. It doesn't matter if one of you is without one or all three, Daien wishes to start a war-"

"Then let them start it!" roared Skrimir excitedly, "We'll finish it!"

"Idiots shouldn't talk about such serious matters," Sanaki said softly. "You do realize that if we start a war, Lady Mayor Ashera will tear us all bits? And since _we_ were the ones to not follow a perfectly easy request, Ashera would take Daien's side. In other words, whether we fight and win or not, probably not, Ashera will destroy us."

The lion laguz muttered something vulgar, obviously realizing these dangers anew, then asked, "If it is so easy, little human, why haven't you chosen a pet?"

"It has to be an eternal pet. It may be easy to get a pet, but to pick one of thousands to stand by you forever is nearly impossible. And you, you're young and have been allowed to take part in the truce instead of your uncle, what's keeping you?"

"I just thought... we should just go to war."

"Foolish."

Skrimir said something along the lines of 'annoying hag'. Then he looked around the table. "What had you meant three, Captain Ike? What about Phoenicis?"

Reyson cleared his throat, and Skrimir looked down on him for the first time. A pleased look overtook his face, then fury. He turned to the table abruptly. "How am I supposed to find some random sub-human that I couldn't crush?! There's no one like that in all of Tellius."

"Then maybe you should practice restraint, Prince Gallia," Elincia proposed softly.

"Restraint, my ass! There's no other sub-human worthy to be my pet. The only ones capable of defeating me would be my own uncle and Ranulf."

A quiet settled over the table at this exclamation. As if on cue, a group of well-groomed cooks, mostly female wolves, presented wine to those at the table. Two set off to the side, while the others headed back to the kitchen. Everyone sipped-except Skrimir, who drank his glass in one gulp before demanding another- their wine thoughtfully. Reyson looked back at Ranulf. Though he could never have had imagined himself some pet for anyone, he much less could think of Ranulf in the same situation. However, the cat seemed entirely at peace with the current flow of thinking. He and Lethe were having a serious conversation. Lethe's twin sister was not present, but Reyson heard the edges of her name several times. From the sound of it, Ranulf had already thought of a plan to if Skrimir never accepted a pet, and that was to give himself up as a pet. However, the absent twin would be upset, Lethe reasoned. Ranulf's mind was set, however, and he said that she would have to get over it.

"So how about it?" Ike asked, softly.

"It's a little bland, as is most human food," Skrimir told him.

"Not the wine, idiot." Soren scowled crossly. Skrimir only smiled at him. Soren's scowl deepened.

"Then what?"

Ike answered, before Soren could say something crass, "Ranulf being your pet."

"Never! A warrior as a pet! Not Ranulf! He's like a brother to me!"

"No need to yell. Look, Gallia's been doing a good job keeping most of its member a secret. I know from resources in Daien that they don't know about Ranulf even being a warrior."

Ranulf stood behind Skrimir, placing a hand on his shoulder, making that large frame jump involuntarily."Look, Skrimir, I know you're not the one to listen to reasonable advice, but no body wants a war. Ashera is still mad about that Serenes Massacre. That was only fifty years ago, and we're still getting rap about it from the whole damn country. Tellius has made a name for itself in crime."

"My subjects have paid for that fact," Sanaki whispered softly.

Skrimir shook his head stubbornly.

"Do you think you can pick someone in the next few days?" Ike hesitantly asked.

"Damn it all, human, I just told you that it would be impossible... Why must we talk like this and plan? Let's just-"

"WE JUST TOLD YOU!" several voices exclaimed at once, but Skrimir had set up a mental brick wall, shaking his head over and over, before standing and leaving abruptly. The large laguz said something about bathroom.

Ranulf silently sat on the carpet next to Skrimir's chair, wiping his face tiredly. Lethe, snarling curses at him, retrieved a collar and leash from her the backpack she carried with her, clipping the accessories around Ranulf's neck. She then quickly made a call, and, what with 'Lord' this and 'Lord' that, it was obvious she was talking to Caineghis, Boss of Gallia.

"_So I was right about it..._"

"Yes, sir. I can only say that we might as well go along as planned."

"_True_. _Well, I must go._"

"Any luck with Goldoa, sir?"

Caineghis barked, "_As rigid as ever, the old bastard. But at least he'll speak to me tonight._"

"We have to watch Skrimir tonight?! I-I-I mean...Will Skrimir come with you?"

"_Let him occupy one of the other bosses. Let him learn how to... Do those things..._"

Lethe smirked. "Understood, sir."

"_Until later._" Caineghis hung up.

Reyson saw the little talking device in Lethe hand and wondered how the gigantic Caineghis would be able to handle it. From the looks of it you would have to press tiny buttons on its surface in order to bring up the voice. One of the lion's fingers could easily press three of the buttons. Maybe someone pressed them for him.

"You had planned this?" Elincia wondered aloud.

Ranulf, blinking his amethyst and aquamarine-colored eyes, only nodded slowly before saying to her, "Now, what about you?"

The Lady Boss blushed momentarily, opening her mouth to answer, but only managed to let out a small squeak of a noise, her face becoming so red Sanaki pushed her small hand to her forehead.

"Oh, it's nothing... It's just that..." Elinicia drifted off again.

Lucia stood then. "I will tell them, Lady. Look, guys, around the time Ashnard brought up this stupid truce idea, Geoffry and Elincia got married-" Several surprised exclamations answered this, and several of the girls were affronted that they had missed such an event, and the fact that it was Geoffry and Elincia made it all the worse- every person interested in that sort of drama were waiting impatiently for those two to finally do something about each other. Lucia continued with a bittersweet smile,"Elincia explained her situation with Ashnard and was allowed a replacement for the truce. And so you can fully understand the reason behind this decision from such an obstinately heinous man as Ashnard, I will tell you that she traded-"

"Wait!" Elincia cried, desperately. "Not yet!"

"She traded," went on Lucia, loudly over her commander's voice, "a video of her honeymoon night. Geoffrey had the lewd idea to book one of Kilvas' infamous suites, knowing that a certain boss taped the rooms there, for various, and sometimes extrememly dangerous reasons." Lucia only looked out of the corner off to the side, but everyone knew that she was eying Geoffrey reproachfully. "And _Geoffrey_ was the one to offer the trade instead of Elincia going along with the slightly less distasteful option of owning a pet." Lucia sat down again.

A silence.

"And now Sanaki,"Ike finally said, a small blush glancing his features.

"Agan, Captain, you're troubled for nothing. I been had Daien bribed. Or did you forget that I already had untold amounts of servants and sexual subjects bent under my will? Ashnard had wanted something else from me in the first place, obviously. And that was money."

Reyson found that unfair. He noticed- it could have been just coincidence- but the beorc members of the circle all had an excuse not to follow through with Daien's truce.

"Alright, second note. The Goldoa thing. My advisors don't believe that Caineghis can be swayed."

"You mean Soren," laughed Tibarn, only the second thing he's said all evening.

Soren snorted.

"What are we going to do about it?"

"What do you mean?" Nailah muttered. "Just let them run wild and find someplace."

"Daien will be there." Elincia frowned deeply. "And they're registered as pets. They can't just go someplace."

"Yes they could. Didn't say it was going to be easy. Wouldn't we be risking war with Daien by all of us using our energies to capture a few sub-humans?"

Naesala answered her smoothly, "From the way Ashnard was spreading the news, I believe it is all just a game for him. I don't think we should take it too seriously."

"So you're on my side?" asked Nailah skeptically.

"If you mean that I would like to stay out of it, then no. If you mean we should not be having a meeting in the middle of the damn day about it, then yes."

Nailah's spine suddenly went straight, her black ears flickering restlessly. Skrimir came back at that moment from hiding out in the lobby, hearing something as well. At their actions, the others immediately went on guard, some taking out guns and tomes at the same time. But from yet another door came Rafiel, gasping, with nothing on but a robe, a robe with no belt at that. He looked freshly washed, though a light glow of sweat had ruined pure cleanliness. His almost supernaturally angelic face was flushed and, upon finding out where he had accidentally wound up, reddened to an impossible ruby color. For a few seconds, he stood there in shock at the audience, not sure at all on what to do now. He knew that the doors on the other side would lead only to the lobby, and he didn't want to guess how many people were there already, though there was only the regular servants. The other doors he wasn't sure where they lead, and the large white doors where two female members stood lead to the kitchen, which lead to the freezers and... some other place...

"Rafiel!"

Rafiel jumped to attention, his loose robe fallling open. He was so flushed he didn't notice his exposure.

Nailah, loins stirring, didn't bother to correct him. No one else did either, following her example. It was her pet afterall.

"Yes, Mistress?"

"What's going on? You running around this place when you know how easily lost you are."

"I-I'm sorry. It's just that... Volug... He's in wolf form and I... I don't want to... I can't... He's chasing me... like that... So... I ran." Rafiel's barely coherent utterances brought a smile to the table, and Skrimir to join them there. For once, he caught on with the others and didn't say anything about Rafiel's pink erection swaying lightly as he moved.

"Damn that Volug, hm? While getting lost yourself, I think you lost him. But not for long." She turned back to the table without another word.

Rafiel stood there, bewildered. It was easy to see that he desperately needed Nailah's help to keep the rutting Volug away, at least until he gets out of wolf form, but Nailah (and a few others) were enjoying his discomfort.

Tibarn broke the humorous contemplation of sadistic bosses by asking Reyson, "Who was Rafiel to you back then?"

From his angle under the table, he could honestly see more of Rafiel than he ever thought he would see, or what was probably morally right to see and remember for the rest of eternity. But even his old brother felt different, remarkably different. At least before, their minds were so entertwined by genetics and natural inclinations he could scarcely realize his feeliings from Rafiel sometimes. Now, he was just as elusive as any other stranger... and seemed to fit the pet scheme extremely well.

"My brother. My sister was Leanne," he told them finally.

Again, the beings of the ballroom were full of surprise.

But nothing shocked them more than the shrieking howl that resounded from the lobby.

"Shit," spat Nailah.

"What is it?" many inquired.

"Ashnard."


	4. Eclipse

**AN: **.? I feel blank. I only want to write right now. I love you guys who read though. I hope you enjoy.

Eclipse

The ballroom erupted into an uproar of irritated, surprised, and fearful noises. Their discussion will be limited in the presence of Ashnard; and that was besides the fact that most of the pets despised the man to the marrow.

"Rafiel! Make yourself decent and come sit by me!" Nailah ordered.

The poor heron suddenly realized his state of disarray, his mouth dropping open. He did nothing until Nailah reordered her demands, whereas he twisted the robe comfortably, chiding himself for his stupidity of leaving the belt somewhere out there in the hallways. At the same time, he hastened himself to his mistress's side, waiting for the despicable man to arrive. He saw the new slave of Lord Tibarn, one with blond hair and green eyes just as he had! Before trying to catch the boy's attention, he had to scoot over, for the servants were placing another chair and pillow between Elincia and Sanaki, much to both women's chagrin. He smiled hugely at the new heron when they were finished. The other gave him an endearingly bittersweet look, and Rafiel knew then that the boy was probably Gapped and finding the whole situation very frightening.

Rafiel arranged his pillow on the other side of Nailah so that he was closer to the new heron.

"Good evening, Rafiel," Reyson said, silently embarrassed at his former brother's state of affairs. Rafiel, having had fixed his nudity, seemed to have gotten over it quite easily.

"Hello. What did Lord Tibarn mean about 'who was I' to you back then?" Rafiel asked curiously. He folded his legs under himself comfortably, looking for all the world as if he fit just right where he was.

This thought filled Reyson with anger. His brother was so stupid and weak! And he couldn't help but think that this was how he acted 'back then'! So gentle and humble, and aggravating…

Rafiel immediately felt this ominous change in demeanor, but couldn't think of how he had offended the other pet so. "I'm sorry…"

"For what?" Reyson snapped.

"I'm not sure…"

And Rafiel made it so easy to make one feel so damn guilty. Reyson was no exception. He took one look into his doleful green eyes and felt the guilt lump into his stomach.

"I'm sorry, Rafiel. I didn't want to make you think you had done anything wrong. I just can't help but feel resentful that you're taking this so easily."

"I heard that before the Serenes Massacre, heron pets are usually easy-going. Leanne and I are, but I shall make no judgments of you…?" he trailed off with a questioning look.

"Reyson."

"Let him in! Let him in!" Nailah suddenly barked, shocking the both of them. "He knows we're all here so there's no use keeping him out."

Her servants, the females scurrying into the kitchen, reluctantly opened the door and Ashnard busted in, a nude Leanne in tow, and Petrine following. A number of his most formidable guards followed as well. All but grinning, he shoved Leanne in the vicinity of the pillow, but she missed it and hit the floor instead. Still, she proudly held her head high and folded her legs under herself, leaning away from Ashnard's dallying hands. Upon seeing Rafiel she grinned gently, and then saw Reyson and cocked her head to the side, before giving him a wave in greeting as well.

When his people were seated, the haughty Daien boss smiled maliciously. "Good evening everyone. I'm sorry to drop in so late." He looked anything but; he wasn't even invited. "What are we talking about today?"

A strained silence answered him before Ike finally said, "We're talking about Goldoa…"

"More specifically, the big Let Go they're doing this weekend."

Ike only nodded, shaking his hair from his eyes. No one was looking Ashnard in the eye.

Ashnard took this opportunity to look around the table, settling his sights, as was his aim, on Skrimir. "Found a pet, sub-human? I do believe you're the only one who is left of this nice little group."

Skrimir was just about to shake his head before Ranulf nudged- no, deliberately _nuzzled_ up against him. The poor lion looked more like he had been bitten, and the action made him forget Ashnard's little nickname for him. He never said that to any of the bosses, but when addressing Gallia's prince, it was always sub-human. The only other people he called sub-human were his pets, thus, the name would usually irritate young Skrimir to the brink of violence. But now, fortunately, he was only in a state of mild shock.

"Have it stand!" ordered Ashnard.

"It?" growled Reyson, balling his hands into fists. They immediately uncurled when Rafiel put his hands over one, eyes too sympathetic to ignore, or stay angry for too long.

Ranulf stood when Skrimir just looked at him, unable to order such a command. The members of the table watched Ashnard's reaction: a grimace, then a huff.

"Typical, sub-human. You got the ugliest piece of such a rich collection. Surely, you could have afforded more." Ranulf, grinding his teeth, sat back down. Skrimir merely sat there with an extremely upset look.

"Coming from someone who got his best pet from a bet," Soren told Ashnard, as if coming to Skrimir's rescue. Barely concealed snorts and snickers sounded around the ballroom.

The humiliated Daien boss grimaced in annoyance at the mirth. "Well, I have news. I have decided that to make this hunt more interesting I'm going to shoot for the first five minutes."

That brought what little joy they had from Soren's jibe to a dead end.

"W-What do you mean shoot?" Elincia stuttered. Her usually wan face went even paler. The others had the same faces.

"Shoot. Bang-bang-bang. Hopefully dead," Ashnard continued harshly. "It might give the sub-humans more reason to fight back. If they all thought they would be caught, what fun would it be?"

"Mayor Ashera would never-"Sanaki started.

"The Serenes gang is different from sub-humans. They actually tried to help the world, giving them publicity all over. Nobody knows about the Goldoa Let Go except probably us and her. And five minutes isn't all that long, so not too much damage."

Nailah gave a disgusted grunt to how the beorc had thought this through. "Depends on the weapons you use, Ashnard," she added. "Are these pistols or SMGs… That's what makes the difference."

"It will be an assortment." He smiled.

Reyson didn't know what pistols or SMGs were, but he knew that shot, as in being shot by an arrow or cannon, was almost certain death. And Ashnard had said something of being dead… Tibarn looked worried, face grim, a deep frown settling per usual that look.

In fact, the hawk did not like this. Unless they were to risk war, they would have to let Daien shoot for five minutes.

"What do you want, Ashnard?" Tibarn asked finally.

With a fake innocent look, Ashnard turned towards him. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Is there anything you want for you not to do something so incredibly heinous?"

"Give me your Reyson, and Nailah, your Rafiel."

Reyson felt Tibarn's biorhythm drop from bad to worst, his face no better. He leaned back in his chair and caressed his head in what felt like to Reyson an anxiously possessively gesture. It was a way which Oliver was so keen on using when touching him as if he was some precious porcelain doll. The heron shook if off. But his brother willingly leaned into Nailah's touch

"As you see,"-Ashnard licked his lips anxiously, eyes gleaming at Tibarn-"he will never obey you. It would be such a waste. And my offer from before pass over to this little transaction, if you will."

"I won't," Tibarn spat.

"Me neither," Nailah said. "Unlike my Samaritan friends, I have no intention whatsoever of risking my resources for just a bunch of pets."

"Oh, Nailah," whimpered, Elincia. "Tibarn, both of you please think this over. We can stop needless violence."

"There's always needless violence on the weekends," Nailah told her, completely indifferent sounding, but in reality she realized how selfish she was being, but she just couldn't think of life without Rafiel… Not without her Rafiel, that would be utterly absurd. She was no pushover for Ashnard, either. This would just be a time for the bastard to get his way again.

So selfish.

Tibarn didn't try to hide it behind words and kept silent, his selfishness only evident on his face.

And quite truthfully, the loss of life wasn't that much a matter to them if it wasn't their own. It was a simple fact of survival not to worry too much about others when you had your own to take care. Hell, it was the very nature of beorcs and laguz.

"Your final answers are a bit disappointing, to say the least. I would think you two would regard human life higher than that. I would expect such self-centered actions from Naesala, but he had the altruistic idea to bet his pretty pet instead.

"So this Sunday, you two will be the sole reason so many sub-humans are going to _die_." Ashnard, having finally accomplished his job of thoroughly destroying any good mood and tarnishing the souls of those who listened to him, settled back with a pleased grin.

Tibarn could feel a death glare aimed somewhere on his neck. He didn't think his heron pet would feel that his decision was legitimate- he didn't think his decision was legitimate- and probably pushed the boy further away emotionally with his lack of moralistic values.

"Why don't you do it on Saturday?" Skrimir asked, looking genuinely concerned about the answer.

Soren answered him, "Because, you fool, Goldoa is releasing the sub-humans on Sunday."

"But the party at Gallia is on that day, and everyone's invited. We can't have Ashnard ruin it for the rest of our lives."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Nailah grumbled. "You think Ashnard cares about Gallia's stupid party?"

"But we always have the party this time of year! You didn't call it stupid when it was held at your place last year!" Skrimir was now getting red (redder) in the face, but no one had any idea what he was talking about.

Then it clicked to Ranulf.

"Master Skrimir."

"Don't call me that!" Skrimir cried vehemently. "What, Ranulf?"

"Did you even send out the invitations?"

"Yes! Wait… Oh, I forgot. No, I hadn't. Well, then, you're all invited. I don't see what's the invitations are for anyway. I can just call of you."

Still no one else had a clue. Even Ashnard was slightly interested in Skrimir weird tracking of thought.

"What are we invited to, sub-human?"

Skrimir snarled at the thought of anyone from Daien coming, but said, "Don't patronize me. You know what it is."

"I sincerely don't." For once, he was telling the truth. "And I still don't think my killing off a few homeless strays is going to ruin anyone's party."

"Ah!" Sanaki gasped.

"What is it?" several people gasped back.

She smacked her forehead. "_Sunday_. For once the dunce is right; you won't be doing any killing if you know what's good for you."

"Why not, Lady Sanaki?" her right-hand, Sigrun, asked, just as perplexed as anyone else.

"Sunday is Mayor Ashera's birthday. We've all been muddled on Ashnard that we completely forgot."

"Except Skrimir," Soren muttered. "Surprisingly."

The silence that settled was better than before; Ashnard's outrage at his ruined plans could be felt by everyone, and, as horrible as it sounds, they were just so damn happy about it. Sure, he could still do his five-minute massacre, but he would have to deal with Ashera first, and no one in their right or left mind would want that, not for himself anyway; Ashnard will be great though.

Reyson was still mad at Tibarn nevertheless.

"Has anyone bought her a gift?" Tibarn inquired.

This silence was worse.

"She doesn't like money… or pets… or weapons…"

Ranulf nudged Skrimir, who suddenly remembered that he did have a gift. "Gallia got her a Bugatti Veyron. It's the fastest car in the world, they say."

"Could you give it to her late?" grumbled Naesala. "You give that to her first, and she'll only compare your gift to ours and find out they suck. You give it to her last, and she'll realize how bored she was with our gifts."

"No." Skrimir didn't realize that the Raven was joking. "So what are we doing about Goldoa's thing? I want to just go and grab as many as we can before Daien does."

"Since we're divided on it, we might as well do what we want to do," Ike conceded. "Though I had hoped for a unified front against more belligerent hunters…"

They spoke as if Ashnard wasn't even there, and the boss said nothing more, brooding with perfect childishness. In the end though, because it was forbidden to spill blood on Ashera's birthday (or Tellius day, or New Year's Eve and numerous other holidays), he couldn't do much more than be a hassle and hog over the whole affair, so they all actually decided to go- Nailah was actually convinced by Rafiel's gentle nudging whenever she refused to go. She groaned at the planning she would have to do, then happily realized that Volug could do that.

Speaking of which…

Reyson felt a turbulent force of life energy clambering through the hallway from which Rafiel had come. It fluctuated in powerful wanton waves, yearning violently. Nailah only felt half as strong; she felt mellow. Reyson had never experienced such strength in pure lust.

Volug slammed through the door in wolf form and, much like Rafiel, stopped dead in his tracks at the arrangement, switching back immediately. He immediately came to stand by his boss, face a flushed stone. After just a second of standing, he began to stare intensely at Rafiel, then Reyson, then at generally both of them, as if he could be happy with either of them, or both. The conversation continued after this interruption, then stopped again when Volug began panting out loud. Clinching his fists then opening them again, he was absolutely distracting. Plus, there was his heaving chest, heavy smell even to the beorcs, and his engorged erection poking through his pants.

"Alrighty then," Nailah announced. "It's time for everyone to leave before Volug ravishes someone without restraint."

"Oh, my, maybe we should stay so that no one gets hurt?" Tibarn teased.

Ashnard's interest in dialogue rekindled, much to everyone's joy.

"I'm not leaving until I see that threat." Ashnard grinned.

"Me neither," Skrimir added. Nailah gave him a scathing glare that could kill some of the strongest tiger laguz. Of course, the Lion Prince merely smiled.

Reyson nudged Tibarn; he wanted to leave. This sick game didn't interest him in the way he approved of; in essence, his blood boiled at Volug's energy. He hated this place with such intense passion, nothing could calm him, and that only fueled his riled feelings. Thankfully, Tibarn took the hint, though he had been waiting years to see Rafiel naked, and he never, ever would believe that who could see the heron ravished. Oh, what a sad time to leave.

"I'm sorry, guys, have to go now," he told the others. He stood, lifting Reyson a bit with the chain, which earned him a hateful look.

Snickered Sanaki, "Tibarn's ruled by his pet." Other snickers joined her. Tibarn took this in stride, shaking Reyson energetically.

"We have to be together forever, practically lovers." He smiled teasingly. "Right, Reyson?"

At the others' amused stares, he blushed. "Shut up…master…"

He was relieved when they laughed, except for Ashnard (he didn't care for him, anyway). Following Tibarn, Reyson's expectation of home made him tired. He jumped when Volug was finally unable to hold himself back and reached over the lap of his boss to get to Rafiel. He heard Leanne laugh gaily, and they left.

Try as he might to resist the horrible feeling of settling in under Tibarn's strong, considerate wing, of even just starting to get used to the feeling of this New Tellius, it was sinking in. The ride inside the limousine made him even drowsier; he began to lean on Tibarn, and fell asleep momentarily. It was quite a deep sleep, so much so that he began a short dream: he was in the middle of the street with thousands of other laguz, there were many humans surrounding them, but none of them were interested in getting them to safety. There were flying arrows and shooting canons, knives and explosions. What's more, there were his kind amongst the frightened throng, and they were getting blown away the most, the repeat of the massacre. Bloody white feathers, severed appendages…! The war has been over for three years, the nightmares persevered for two, and now they were back in their vivid details. The heat, the blood, and he couldn't heal anyone fast enough; his wings were gone… His legs were vaporized, his arms, and he was trampled beneath the panicked horde.

"Reyson! Reyson! Wake!" Tibarn shouted frantically. The boy had spread his wings inside the car, the force pushing him to the other side of the limo. They were back at headquarters, but he couldn't get out the car in fear of hurting Reyson. Maneuvering around the wings, Tibarn got to Reyson's pale, panting form. He shook him awake.

He woke screaming in his grasp. He woke screaming Tibarn's name, despite the fact that he hadn't seen him in his dream. But to see his face was what he wanted, so he grabbed that worried face and kissed him fiercely, enveloping his wings around him, closer and closer. He had a fleeting thought that the pants were so much easier to use when grabbing someone with your legs, when grinding against someone. Only a tiny bit startled by Tibarn's large girth pressed against his, it felt perfectly natural to have his tongue to battle with. The blood now rushed through his veins for remarkably different reasons.

Tibarn tried to part from Reyson's wanton grasp, but the former prince was too far gone in his panic and desperation, encouraging more of his touch. Soon the wings disappeared as the movements became fiercer, and Reyson was reaching for tantalizing skin. Tibarn saw that the sky had darkened and so walked straight out the car with Reyson on his hip. Janaff and Ulki stopped immediately at the site and then directed the other guards to another entrance, to an opposite elevator, while their boss took the one they rode before. They could just fly up to the window, but it was dark, and anyone looking for an opportunity would have one.

Tibarn didn't set Reyson down in the elevator, and they continued kissing with few breaths, and even those were placed intermittently with licks on the neck. Both were covered in sweat when they arrived on Tibarn's floor, his shirt gone. It was a nice little maze getting from the elevator to Tibarn's room with only a few minor bruises and such. Falling onto bed backwards, Tibarn let Reyson straddle him, continue kissing him.

Then he felt the tears on his face. Large splashes, but the kisses continued with fiery intensity. Though Tibarn would have liked to continue, the tears cooled whatever passions he had.

He pushed Reyson off, quite abruptly that he looked at the ceiling in confusion. He couldn't see! Then he realized that his eyes were clouded with tears, again. He clawed them away, speaking out hoarsely, "Why did you stop?"

"Anyone would."

"Why did _you_?"

"Because you didn't want it. Not in a way where you wouldn't regret it, anyway." Tibarn threw off his pants and left his boxers on, planning on a shower in the morning, planning on a meeting in the morning too, for this weekend, especially now that it included both a party and a freak show/hunt. It was a little early for sleep, he knew as he lied down facing away from Reyson, and he was a bit hungry, but he knew that if he and Reyson stayed up any longer together, they were going to do that regrettable thing. When the boy was asleep, he would get a midnight snack, annoy the college humans at Taco Bell with his presence.

He felt the bed dent just a little, then some more, then some more as Reyson crawled closer and closer. The hawk would have to use all his power to restrain himself if the heron tried any sensual tricks.

"Where am I supposed to sleep?" he asked, surprising Tibarn.

"What?" Tibarn rolled over just enough to meet the green glowing eyes. "You sleep here."

"With you?"

"You see I'm not going anywhere."

"But in the same bed?"

He smiled. "There's a wonderful floor down there."

"You lie on the floor!" scoffed Reyson.

"This is my bed!"

"Well," stuttered Reyson. "Don't touch me!" And he shoved a large pillow between the two of them, then shucked off his jeans, kept the vest on as if that would provide much more protection than with it off, rolled up in the blankets like a hog, and tried to sleep. He felt foolish for his earlier behavior and didn't know how to compensate, so opted to ignore it altogether.

Tibarn's mouth fell open. He couldn't help but think that his heron pet was the one who started this whole predicament in the first place! With a small smile, he rolled back over, and waited for midnight.


	5. The Shooting Star Show

**AN: **Hi~ Okay, I care about reviews, but no more badgering. Sorry about all that crap before. Just to let you know that without reviews, I don't write. After about three chapters of poor reception, I discontinue publishing a story. Someone said I should write for the sake of writing. I do, but when I publish on the internet… On a fanfiction site no less… I expect someone who has read the story (out of the many who do) to review it. If not, I'll stop the editing efforts, and the time-consuming process of having a plot that makes sense, or at least components besides sex that make a story interesting, and then I'll just keep the whole story in my head and my journal.

At least, I will warn you two chapters ahead of time if I'm discontinuing anything. Thanks so much for reading! I like the emotionless stats a lot~

**I meant to answer but I forgot… I felt blank… And I'm not sure what that means. I really like Ethereally's reviews~ so the above statement can't really concern this fic (but I have the warning for every new chapter I write) **

**Ethereally: **Sorry about Janaff… And thanks for the specifics! Tibarn's lust is one of my faves of anything I read~ It took me quite a while to realize that DB meant Dawn Brigade. They're in this story, just not right now. I really want Ed and Leonardo… But… Eh…

And, oh, about 2091… It's just a way I view, like, magical worlds; like in Fire Emblem (you could compare Naruto or Soul Society in Bleach) most don't have much need for technology, so they wouldn't really advance. I'm sure in our magic-less world we would be way past plasma screens in 2091 (I'll probably be dead) but when there are people who can shoot fire from the hands and the like, I just don't see them much interested in plasma screens in the first place.

**Summary: **Ugh… A filler chapter. By the time I knew it, it was almost ten pages. You know what to expect in the next chapter. ~_^

The Shooting Star Show

Tibarn had missed his midnight snack, slept right through it. The last time he had eaten was, what, yesterday afternoon? Laguz shouldn't have to wait so long for a meal. In other words, Tibarn was starving and was in an extremely foul mood. His feral instinct was more pronounced as his slipped out of his bed, not noticing the emptiness. Continuing on into the kitchen, his attitude improved at the sight of a freshly showered Reyson donning a white shirt and jeans, and his hair tied back loosely as he ate his steaming bowl of oatmeal, dark with brown sugar. The heron looked up and then blushed profusely.

This made Tibarn stop and think about the night before. They hadn't gone anywhere explicit, right?

Then Janaff walked in, raising his eyebrows. "A bit hungry, aren't you?"

The boss looked down on himself in confusion. Surprised, he noticed that he had come out only in his boxers, and his boxers hardly concealed a full erection. He quickly turned around, deciding that a shower was in order, and clothes.

Reyson quickly shoveled another spoonful in his mouth. It wasn't exactly Tibarn's level of disarray that made him blush but his own involuntary reaction to him, an arousal springing to life within him. He was so into his own problems of uncontrollable desires he didn't notice Ulki joining him and Janaff at the table.

Two hours ago, after he awoke, they had spoken to him long and hard about his irreversible situation as Ulki made breakfast. Both told him bluntly that Tibarn would want to have sex with him, probably often, and probably without warning, and they said they were surprised Tibarn had held out for the whole day yesterday, especially with Reyson being so responsive when they first met him in Oliver's golf field.

Tibarn was going easy on him; even for a Gapped heron, he was showing mighty restraint. It was unheard of that he would hold himself back from a virgin after such a display, they explained, referring to his blunder the night before. (But he had ensuing sensuous dream that made him regret his earlier regret. He didn't tell them that, though.)

Brusquely, Ulki told him to get over himself. Janaff added that mourning his plight was only going to make his situation that much worse. The longer he was sad, the harder it would it to be to get out of that grieving mindset. They apologized at the circumstances but knew from experience what was best, especially for someone from a different time zone.

He had begun his meal, thoughtfully.

Ulki told him that they knew that he, because of his odd past knowledge, desired Tibarn, even more so than any other obedient bred pet (like Rafiel) that the boss has ever come across. Still, they told him that he didn't have to change right away, but at least he had to make it seem like he was trying.

Oh, Reyson knew that that was true, but it was easier said than done. He'll do his best and try to forget. A deep pang filled him, but it was bittersweet. The sooner he put his past behind him, the better he could live. (Isn't it weird putting a good past behind? Mostly, it is the bad things.)

"Is that my only role here?" he asked, done with his oatmeal.

Ulki looked up, Janaff smiled. "No, sex," –Reyson flushed again- "isn't your only duty. You will have to anticipate his other needs and wants. You don't have to worry about any of the gang stuff for awhile. He'll teach you."

Ulki suggested, "Like right now. It would be nice if you fixed him some cereal. He likes it-"

"-Only with butter," Reyson finished, nodding.

"And a cup of-"

"The strongest tea with ginger." Reyson looked around. "But I don't know how to make tea with your devices." He looked back at Janaff and Ulki, both giving him surprised looks.

"Do you know what he usually likes to do before going to be?"

"He would massage his shoulders," Reyson answered quickly, remembering those wasted days as Tibarn delivered a sub-par rub down over his thick muscular shoulders. He always wanted to do the favors.

"Use that knowledge," advised Janaff. "I bet even the Tibarn you knew would be impressed."

Reyson's heart jumped at that. Tibarn _would_ be surprised, and would have probably surmised him a bit of a stalker at the info. But this Tibarn… He would love it. With lifted spirits, he began his master's oatmeal in the largest bowl he could find in the cabinet. As an afterthought, he added a bit more dry oatmeal, knowing how the hawk loved his meal a bit thicker than most. He set it on the table to cool.

"Here, this is how you make tea." Janaff showed him to a clear pot set in an elaborate holder. There was a single red switch and what he remembered the day before as a plug. Janaff told him to put that in the… the holes… The outlet, that was what it was called.

"So this tea-maker runs on… Electricity?" Reyson asked.

"Yea, but actually, this is a coffee-maker, but Boss doesn't like coffee too much. Here, you put this paper called a filter here at the top. Pull that handle out- there you go." Janaff opened several cabinets and drawers filled with cans of spices, herbs, and coffees. "These are all the coffee and tea stuff, and here is the ginger and tea leaves. You're gonna cut them in small pieces and put them in the filter."

Reyson was a bit proud that none of this eluded him, and he chopped the ginger and cut the tea leaves, filled the filter and the glass pot with and poured it in the back, and flipped the switch. Not long after, the water from the back traveled hot through the filter cup, filling it with a brownish, strong-smelling tea. When the dripping stopped, he filled a mug with the tea and added just small dashes of sugar then stirred.

Just when he finished arranging the dishes on the table, Tibarn came back with a buttoned down shirt and black dress pants on. He stopped short at the scene. It took a few seconds to decide that yes, Reyson was the one setting his food down and not Ulki and Janaff, who were now sitting.

"What's this?" he asked suspiciously, setting himself down on the chair before the food.

Reyson, all of a sudden terribly shy, turned around to clean up his small mess and put up food. "Your breakfast," he said curtly.

"You made it?"

"Ulki made the meal…"

"But he already knew what you liked, and that you like shoulder massages before bed." Janaff said that in such a straight tone, Reyson knew he was teasing, besides the fact that it was the truth.

"Hm…" Tibarn started his meal. The oatmeal was thicker than what he had had before, but it was infinitely more delicious. Nothing but savory butter and resilient tasty oats, and the tea was even better, with just the right amount of sugar to make itself known but not too much that it competed with the ginger and tea. Strong enough to make his throat burn, the tea was utter perfection. He let both linger in his mouth, nodding in satisfaction. He then was fortunate enough to catch Reyson's hopeful gaze and smiled. "Delicious, pet."

The sudden return to reality didn't shock Reyson. He smiled gently and finished cleaning, sitting down across from Tibarn, and the Hawks began to talk amongst themselves.

"We've already settled the meeting with our brothers to discuss Ike's plans," Ulki told him.

Tibarn swallowed. "You guys need to stop doing everything for me, you know."

"Nonsense, we do this and you have long meetings with Begnion. I think it is a fair trade." Tibarn smiled, just imagining either his eyes or ears with Oliver for more than an hour discussing politics. He couldn't see it. "And the tailor will be finished with Reyson's clothing by Friday."

"And Nailah's coming at four," said his other subordinate.

"WA?" Tibarn asked around his food.

"She said that Rafiel may be able to teach Reyson something. Not Rafiel personally," Janaff assured upon seeing Reyson's freaked look. "But he and Volug can, together."

"Most importantly, at noon the new shipment of Dark tomes will have arrived at Point Seven. Then you can work out the 'legal' stuff, Boss."

Tibarn nodded. He had finished his bowl, and was working on the rest of his tea. "What time is it?"

"Half past eleven."

"What?!"

"I had already rescheduled for one. Just wanted you to realize that you have a schedule." Ulki smiled a bit. "And you sort of have given me other jobs to do."

Tibarn rolled his eyes. "I remember my first times… Never kept a single meeting. "

"There's not much change since then," Janaff snickered.

"If I could read your language, I could help," whispered Reyson. He twiddled his thumbs, knowing that other than cooking and sex (and not that, yet, really), he was pretty much useless.

"Can you recognize time? The numbers?" Tibarn asked, and he pointed at an elegant clock above the stove.

Reyson looked, nodding. "Yes, I know them."

"Alright, let's take a look at my schedule." He stood up, giving other orders. "Ulki, gather a group for Point Seven, Janaff, scope ahead for the rest of us. Come, Reyson."

Tibarn didn't know what Ulki and Janaff did to make his heron pet want to be so helpful, but he wouldn't complain. This is what the first day of a bred pet would be like. He took his schedule from where he left it on the entertainment center. His and subordinates signatures scribbled across all the dates, indecipherable notes. Some of them Tibarn didn't even know, even if it was his own handwriting, including the day's list of activities.

"Oh, I can understand this perfectly," Reyson said, taking the large notebook. "Right here, I believe this is Ulki's hand for meeting Nailah."

Tibarn narrowed his eyes, unraveling each letter the best he could; too bad Ulki didn't dot his Is. But it was today, and it was at four, so it must have been correct.

"You can read this?" Tibarn raised a thick dark eyebrow. Snatching a random book from atop the television and turning it to the print, he asked, "What about this?"

Now Reyson squinted. "I don't understand."

Tibarn chuckled, putting the book back.

"What's so funny?"

"I can't read my own handwriting, yet you have a hard time reading print." The hawk shook his head. He pulled the pen from the schedule's spiral. "Can you write?"

Reyson nodded, taking the pen. After a moment's look, he turned it upside-down and looked down the tube. Frowning, he shook it, looked back into it, and frowned more deeply. He tried to write with the casing as a last attempt.

"You click it."

Tibarn tried hard not to laugh at that befuddled, exasperated face, knowing that the heron probably wouldn't take to kindly laughing at him this time. In lieu of that, he sidled a little behind the boy and curved his hand around his soft hand and demonstrated the clicking process of getting out the writing tip. He pressed the pen down to the lined paper and let the ink glide over a passed date.

Reyson did _not_ think this was absolutely necessary, but he enjoyed the closeness, the roughness of Tibarn's hands, without sexual connotation.

Of course, Tibarn wasn't in for the teaching. He wanted to get as close as possible to his pet before the day seriously began. With that intention, he whispered, "That's how you do it."

There was a sudden change in Tibarn's biorhythm- and his body heat. Reyson quickly stepped up and turned around. He didn't catch his master's amused expression as he said, "I see."

"Come,"-Tibarn felt like he was changing the subject-"We will find you some appropriate wear for outside, and then we can start today."

Fortunately, Tibarn didn't try anything funny while he dressed him, this time in a fluffy, red, yet another sleeveless top he called a 'light' sweater and shorts with a khaki style with a pair of sandals for footwear. He kept the loose ponytail, saying the mussed look just added to his 'model' charm. Reyson felt like a doll and briefly wondered if he would have rather had Tibarn trying something.

Tibarn didn't care much for clothes, but he cared a lot for showing off Reyson, or any pet he had. He took out a plain silver watch next and tied it around Reyson's wrist, then it was the collar, a red leather that fit snugly about his neck. He himself redressed, taking everything off so that he could fit in his hidden weapons, especially the daggers and guns at his side. With a pair of sharp shoes recently broken in and his own watch, he was ready to roll.

"Master," he heard Reyson whisper.

"Hm?"

"What about the leash?"

Tibarn looked at him. "You want one?" he asked incredulously.

He shook his head, pouting at the suggestion. "I had one yesterday."

"You're behaving well today, better than I thought you would. I see no need for a leash. I wouldn't have need for the collar either, but you have nowhere else to go. If someone sees you walking the streets, it's likely you'll be taken. The collar will fend off the cowardly, at least."

Reyson fingered the collar absently. The absurd necklace said simultaneously that he belonged to someone and that he had no place in this world.

It was a little over an hour before they finally got going to Point Seven; he and Tibarn passed the time with a little innocent television and more about the schedule. Upon arriving at Point Seven, a small house with a large barn boarded up tight, Tibarn left him with the other cars to wait, surrounded by hefty bodyguards with their large metal rods and thick clothes. It took some time, enough for Reyson to fall asleep and wake up alert, but the 'deliverers' were persistent on some point or other, the men even pulling at Tibarn's shirt to address him. The Hawk continued to shake his head in refusal, stabbing a finger at the barn. Finally, he stopped turning around and went straight to the limo.

"I ordered two-thousand didn't I?" Tibarn was saying as he went into the car.

"I believe it was an error with recording somewhere down the line," Janaff told him, quite pleasingly. "You could tell by their faces they didn't get just 200 to juke you."

Ulki nodded. "They were begging for forgiveness. I think you should wait the week out for them to get you the rest rather than look somewhere else."

"Fine! Fine," Tibarn repeated, rubbing his brows. Janaff made the call while he cooled down. The boss wondered if Begnion would wait on his repayment on that loan… Yes, with interest! Or he could trade Reyson.

Disgusting Begnion swine, he'd rather clip his wings.

Speaking of Reyson, Tibarn smiled at him and checked his watch. It was a little past three with all the pleasantries he had to deal with. They had time for a quick stop at one of modern life's best aspects! He told Ulki where to go.

Reyson didn't inquire about the meeting, knowing that it probably wasn't his place to pry, and it wasn't as if he would understand most of it. As they drove, Reyson recognized the path back to the hotel, but then there a sudden turn into a paved entryway for a red building with a large yellow letter on top. They pulled behind two other vehicles.

"What's this?" Reyson asked, fascinated by the people leaning into the box with pictures of foodstuffs and talking, and the box talking back in a cheery voice. When it was their turn, Tibarn rolled down the window with a button, something else that Reyson found pretty cool.

"It's a fast food restaurant. It's like a bar, except we are talking through the speakers to each other, and we get our food usually as soon as we reach the last window," Tibarn explained and waved to the choices, "Pick whatever looks delectable to you."

"They'll just give us anything we want from here?"

"For a fee, yes," laughed Tibarn.

"I want the pie pieces," Reyson demanded, enamored by their color. "And the apples with the liquid brown sugar."

"That's caramel. Do you want anything that's not sweet?"

"The gold nuggets, with the white stuff inside."

"You eat chicken?"

"That's chicken? Then no. I'll take the salad then. And the yogurt and fruit."

"Why don't you take my whole wallet?"

Reyson turned to him, surprised by his closeness. "Will it cost you so much?"

Tibarn laughed again, finding the boy's concern endearing. "Not at all. This is just change I'm willing to get rid of," he told him.

"Okay then, I want the biggest yellow drink. And the potato sticks."

As Ulki ordered down Reyson's entire curiosity-embedded list, Tibarn told his own, much smaller order: just a cheeseburger. "These foods don't last long, Reyson. Eat the salad first, then the fries. Those will expire from edibility probably today."

"Okay, master Tibarn," Reyson answered obediently, though somewhat offhandedly, and it was just a little thing. Still, it filled his master with a sort of pride, and he risked a friendly caress around the boy's waist. He blushed in response, giving him a short look, but didn't move. Tibarn had to hold himself back from going in for more.

Reyson was grateful. Would he… Of course not. Not yet anyway.

Tibarn passed his credit card when they got up to the cashier. The lady at the register pretended to swipe, winking at Tibarn, then pressed the 'exact change' button. They rolled up to get their food, several bags for Reyson, and two for the rest of them. They ate their food in companionable silence, Reyson thoroughly enjoying the foods Tibarn allowed him to eat, especially the parfait. He hated the salad though.

By the time they made it back, they still had half an hour. One which Reyson used to take another nap. He was feeling especially sleepy today for some reason. Tibarn said it was something like jetlag.

He had a dream. He was surrounded by parfaits filled with a myriad of fruit. It was a pleasant dream.


	6. Waning Gibbous

AN: HI! Shit happened, and now I'm back. Enjoy the chapter. It took a lot of courage to publish this, believe it or not. That's the kind of shit that's happened.

Waning Gibbous

Nailah arrived, Volug and Rafiel in tow, both dressed in black skintight vests and jeans. It was notorious that Nailah always had both her pets looking delectable. The wolves were still in heat, and Reyson, teeth brushed and skin freshly showered again, could feel their biorhythms pulsing in earnest. Nailah still seemed more in control than Volug, who was, like at the boss meeting, again clenching and spreading his fingers in a restraining effort.

Really, Volug was ready for anyone that was dressed in flimsy enough clothing. Nailah had kept him from release all today for no other reason than she didn't want him to be too excited; keeping him like this, though, was driving him insane. The smallest thing could set him off, like the muscles of his mistress's back rippling as she walked. And Rafiel was doing nothing to make himself less delicious, but was only making himself even more delicious because he didn't know how delicious he was. Volug's cock was stuck in a harness that he was forbidden to touch, just like Rafiel. In another hour or two, he could see himself going against orders and tearing it off.

Tibarn could see the wolf's barely contained control, but pushed Reyson forward nevertheless, the heron wearing a white T-shirt and a pair of thin cotton pants that fell in a curtain around his ankles.

Volug saw flimsy clothing.

Nailah tugged on the two's leashes, towards the seats and cushions in the middle of the room. No guards were nearby and the drapes were drawn. At the end of an unusually warm autumn, the sun was getting ready for sunset, almost readying the five for their evening activities.

"Hello, Nailah," Tibarn greeting, politely waiting for her to sit before he did; the pets followed on their pillows, even Reyson, nervously.

"Tibarn, your pet ready for this?" She caressed her own pets, holding Volug's leash tightly.

Reyson clutched his fingers together; he was completely soft, yet with each second of just sitting there an arousal flared within him.

Tibarn pushed his fingers through Reyson's silky blond hair. He had given the boy a little pep talk on how good this was for him, and if he really couldn't take anymore they would stop.

"We're just going to wait a bit and see. I was thinking he could put on a little show for us."

Reyson was also told that the longer he waited, he would only get more nervous. He was feeling it now. This would be expected of him someday, and it was better to get used to it now than later, right? But was he ready now? Shouldn't there be a level a readiness no matter how carrying it on will make him only more scared?

Nailah crossed her legs on the seat, one of her most natural gestures. Not even Begnion reprimanded her for it anymore. "Maybe sometime later. You can just watch Volug and Rafiel, 'cause I know you really have been looking forward to that, right?"

Tibarn couldn't help but smile at this. After Naesala's fuck-up, he and Nailah have been best friends, but the relationship might be helped by the fact that, just a little, Tibarn liked Rafiel… a lot.

Reyson was now fully aroused; not only could he sense, but he could also smell the lust emanating from everyone. His own chest heaved up and down. Reyson had been touching himself more often a thousand years ago. He could pretend that Tibarn of that time wanted to watch him, had some strange thrill to see him perform, to see how he could pleasure himself the best.

The heron leaned into his master's hand, whispering, "Alright." His stomach twisted into a painful knot.

"You sure? You're trembling."

Why did he have to be so compassionate now? Give him a chance to realize just how scared he was and back out?

"Yes…"

"Yes, what?" Tibarn urged, wrapping a hot hand around his neck above his small white collar, massaging.

Volug watched Reyson's ever-rising erection hungrily, ready to make it drip in pleasure. He wanted to taste it, taste all of the heron. The wolf barely realized that Nailah was really using her strength pulling him back, using both hands.

"Yes, master…" Reyson answered, eying the horny wolf warily.

Tibarn patted him on the head. "Don't worry about him. Just put yourself right over there and listen to my directions. And you have to listen to every one of them, and don't do anything I didn't say you could do."

Reyson screwed his eyebrows together, trying to think of such a circumstance.

"Like consummation, I want you to hold on until I say you can orgasm."

For some reason, this excited Reyson. This command gave Tibarn a more brazen control of his body other than physical things like collars and chains. But how could he control such a part of his body's actions?

"Just hold on as long as you can, okay?"

It was like Tibarn was reading his mind. "Alright." Reyson now followed the directions, trying not to have eye contact with his brother, who was wearing some sort of compelling perfume that made his chest flare pleasurably.

He shouldn't be like this, he told himself as he rearranged his body so that both the bosses could have a good look at him.

That fearful face! It was perfect. Tibarn had to move his erection to a more comfortable position. The heron's green eyes were mesmerizing in their innocence. The hawk boss just sat there with his hand over his groin, watching him.

"Rafiel, join him," Nailah suddenly commanded. Without a bit of hesitation, Rafiel sat next to Reyson, who had become stone. "Stroke yourself through your clothing."

Only a single uncomfortable glance at Reyson, and Rafiel spread his legs and began to stroke himself, concentrating on the parts around the belts of his harness. He gasped as the blood rushed to his cock, making it swell against the confines. It hurt a little, but he liked that too. He had the suspicion that his mistress knew that.

"Reyson," Tibarn called around Rafiel's soft moans, "take the oil I gave you and spread it over your chest." For some reason, seeing the two herons side by side compounded the appeal of the performance. He was tempted to have them do something to each other, but he knew that Reyson, who had yet to do as he commanded, wouldn't obey in the least.

With shaking fingers, Reyson finally got the yellow oil, popped the top, and poured some into his hands. Then he remembered his shirt, and he heard Nailah and Tibarn laugh at this. With the other hand he lifted the shirt and, not knowing what else to do, he held the shirt between his teeth.

"Yes," Reyson heard Tibarn groan, however he was too absorbed in following directions without looking idiotic, not knowing that he was putting on a fabulous show. His awkwardness made his performance all the more endearing, entrancing. The oil slid clumsily down the left side of his chest, so he had to use both hands to spread it over his torso, biting harder on his shirt and letting some saliva gather at the corner of his mouth, his nipples hardening to pink little nubs.

"Open your vest and play with your nipples a bit, Rafiel."

"Reyson, you too."

"Copycat."

Tibarn only grinned in response.

Rafiel unzipped his vest, also prepared for more stimulation though it will make him more desperate to come. He pinched his nipples. A little more stimulation and he hunched over, one hand pressed to the carpet, the other stroking himself again.

"Be a good boy Rafiel and do as I say."

Rafiel did, holding himself up by putting the hand behind his back, his face creased delicately in concentration as he pulled at himself, panting with the effort.

Did Tibarn want him to do _that_? With his brother right next to him watching? Then he realized that here, Rafiel wasn't his brother, probably not even a descendant in this weird universe. Closing his eyes tightly, the shame grew, yet he made his skin shiny and slick, then took both of his nipples in his hands. He hadn't done anything like this before, believing that perhaps females would find this more desirable, but it began to feel good to him now. Unaware, he sucked in his shirt and lower lip, and took a finger down to his navel, hooking it there and groaning. Reyson soon became lost in his own universe of pleasure. Unknowingly, his hand travelled on to his erection.

"Reyson!" The boy jumped at Tibarn's voice, eyes simultaneously wide in confusion and glazed with pleasure. "Did I tell you to touch yourself there?"

The heron scowled in response, stroking himself faster, shutting his eyes against Tibarn's scalding look. The shame was just beginning to disappear as he touched himself, but would build if he looked into those eyes too long.

He was utterly surprised by the sudden tug at his leash. The horrid thing had been completely forgotten. In his shock, Tibarn pulled him close enough to haul him over his lap. He had no chance to react when Tibarn pulled his arms behind his back and his pants completely from his legs. The first few strikes to his buttocks stunned him completely. The next made him wince, and the continuing hits made him yelp.

"Stop!" he cried. "I'm not…" He's not what? "I'm not a child!"

"But you're a naughty pet, Reyson. So I'm punishing you."

"You should count yourself lucky," advised Nailah. She had unfolded her legs and was running a hand between her legs. "When Rafiel disobeyed me the first time, I used a belt until he cried."

But Reyson was already close to crying, both from the pain and humiliation, and that came from two sources as well: from the spanking and the erection that wouldn't die down. He knew Tibarn felt this, because the hawkman nudged it with a raised knee, purposely swerving it back and forth. It was rough, but it was enough to drive Reyson nuts with pleasure. He hadn't noticed when his spanking ended.

Tibarn couldn't help himself from the flushed bottom, warm beneath his hand tempting him to do other things, lewd things, so he pressed his fingers between the round globes until he reached the heron's soft perineum. Stroking it, he relished Reyson's soft gasps. He shook a little himself. Somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered if or how the old Tibarn could keep himself from touching Reyson. Maybe he didn't have a penis…

"Come here, Rafiel," Nailah beckoned, and he slid eagerly into her lap. With a smile, he eyed Nailah's purple toy, thin but shaped from top to bottom in various shapes. He shivered as his mistress asked, "Think you can handle this?"

"If you want me to, mistress."

"I do. But I'm gonna take off the harness. If you hold it in, I'll let Volug fuck you."

Hearing this, Volug nudged against her, humping her right leg, which she had dropped to accommodate Rafiel in her lap. He was in such a desperate state he had no idea what he was doing.

Nailah patted him, calming him; part of her feeling that bit of insanity caused by rutting. It was only putting it on another level when she freed Rafiel's weeping member, the heron shaking at the feeling of unrestraint. She then set him at her feet though her body pulsed in want. Still, she threw a vial of oil at Rafiel and prepared to watch.

"Ti-Tibarn…" Reyson was now moaning as the boss used one finger to explore deep inside him with a copious amount of oil that slid down his groin. It made a grotesque squelching noise; it was as if his anus was trying to suck the finger back in. He whimpered as Tibarn twisted the flesh of his buttock.

"Call me master, Reyson," Tibarn demanded, almost offhandedly. The boy's ass was tight, he could hardly fit in his finger. Granted, he had a pretty large finger, but the oil hardly made the exploration any easier. He pulled his finger out and squeezed a bit of the oil straight into his channel, the opening of the bottle wrapped in the tight muscle.

Reyson tried to strangle an eager moan. He could feel every warm ounce fill his insides. Next was the finger again, sliding effortlessly and deeply. It pulled back and slowly back in, over and over, quickening in pace as his breathing became more pronounced.

"Tibarn," he moaned and was then awarded with the exiting of the fingers and five stinging blows to his bottom once more; after that, his buttocks were pinched in various parts, the most painful nearest his crease. "Master Tibarn!" he corrected, pushing his hips forward into Tibarn's lap. The finger, joined by another, returned to his sensitive entrance, driving down so harshly that they hit something that made Reyson's whole body shake.

"You're untouched, aren't you, Reyson?" Tibarn asked, moving his fingers shallowly.

Eyes closed in intense pleasure, Reyson confessed, "Except myself… I've been… I've been touched in such embarrassing places only by you."

Tibarn could only groan in pleasure and pride. Such a prize that's only been his. Not even the old Tibarn has touched Reyson like this. He pulled out his fingers and made him lie on the floor, juxtaposed his brother Rafiel, whose wide-open legs trembled as he pleasured himself with the sex toy. Their heads touched, thin hair exchanged sweat.

Tibarn parted Reyson's legs, spreading oil over his strong ankles, knees, and thighs. He reached a sensitive spot just on the inside of those thighs, so sensitive that Reyson jumped with a cry. His cries transformed to strained groans as rough unyielding hands groped his penis and testicles firmly, pumping and pulling both at the same time. Faster, and Reyson was moaning continuously in a high-pitch voice. Harder, and he squirmed beneath the stimulation, ready, ready, ready for the power to unleash in his groin.

And then there was nothing.

Tibarn watched Reyson's intensely green eyes open; they had gotten teary. The heron was such a marvelous sight that Tibarn almost lost himself in just touching him. Now, his pet's body was shiny with sweat and oil, sphincter twitching and overflowing with oil. He had never felt so perverted, so uncontrolled.

And neither had Reyson, who saw those lecherous eyes, felt his own body shaking for more of whatever was next, and finally shook his head. The tears began to fall.

"What is it, Reyson?" Tibarn asked, hoping that-

"I want to stop." The hope blew up in smoke. Reyson closed his legs and covered his chest, so ashamed that he couldn't stop crying. Tibarn's warm hand caressed his face and he grimaced, pulling deeper into himself in denial, curled beneath the hawk's large frame. Because of his position, he could stare straight into his brother's eyes. He also watched his brother bite his lip, just as he had done before.

"It's not so bad, Reyson. It's not bad at all," Rafiel urged, blinking slowly. "It…It gets better. And you have a wonderful master."

"Shut up," Reyson whispered getting up.

Nailah scowled. "Oi, watch your mouth, boy."

"Don't you like Boss Phoenicies?" his brother tried again. He was doing a great job of keeping the toy moving and talking at the same time. At least, Volug thought so. The wolf was now stroking himself, though the harness kept him from coming, but he couldn't help it when it felt like he could reach re;ease if he tried hard enough.

Reyson didn't answer this but looked at Tibarn, without remorse commanding with his eyes to let him go to his room, Tibarn's room. His eyes said, you promised me.

Gritting his teeth, the hawk boss waved him off, not looking as the boy stood, grabbed his clothes, and disappeared into the room. Tibarn, still rock hard, searched his mind for what to do next. He had half a mind to just get Reyson and take him against his will, but that had disastrous consequences, of course. It was humiliating to give the heron such control over his own incontrovertible fate and even worse to jack off because of it.

"Yo, pitiful man," Nailah called. He gave her a glance, then a double-take. She had removed her shorts and was walking towards him. With a single shove, she had him on his back, then her clipped fingers freed his cock, a condom for just this circumstance sliding over the swelled organ. Then she was sliding onto him, smiling with a lecherous grin of her own.

"Haven't done this in a while with you," Tibarn said thankfully, groaning as he slid easily in and out of her. Warm and wet, she was like many of the females he had taken, but it was _Nailah_ after all. Maybe she wasn't his preference of gender, or person really, but there was not a part of him that complained.

Nailah moved faster, panting. She put her head to the side to catch eyes with her cute pet wolf. "Volug, you may take Rafiel now."

"Thank you, mistress," Volug answered, voice raspy; he hasn't talked for nearly a week and seemed to jump over Rafiel's reddened body. He threw the sex toy to the side and hesitated, staring down at his harness. "May I remove this, mistress?

"Sure," Nailah grunted, moving quickly up and down. "But don't come."

Two slightly relieved voices answered, "Thank you mistress." Soon after, Volug's grunts added to the Bosses'; Rafiel, gripping Volug's back, was in such a state that he could hardly make a sound. He could only feel the quick thrusts of his pet mate. Hard, deep, fast, and hot was all he could register for the moment. That, and he was entirely focused on not losing control.

"I forgot you felt this good, Nailah," Tibarn murmured, making sure he kept his fingers lightly on her hips, less she dig her claw into his wrists.

"I'll tear out your fucking throat."

Tibarn continued to enjoy the moment more quietly; this was probably more for her than him anyway (it had nothing to do with her non-idle threat).

Since both of them had been holding their release for much longer than any of them wanted, this was a short, yet intense sex session. Even with the condom, Tibarn came before Nailah, who twitched around him, digging those claws (which always lengthened when she was excited) into his thighs. Luckily, she didn't tear into the skin.

While the hawk boss rested in the afterglow, Nailah, rearranging her eye patch, slipped from him and joined her two pets, kissing both. Volug had slowed down to the point of stopping, unable to go any further without losing his seed.

"Mistress," Rafiel whispered, shaking as his mistress took his erection in her hand.

She smiled, burying her face in Rafiel's lovely hair "I guess it can't be helped. Go ahead."

Nearly before she even gave the permit, Volug began again at full speed, thrusting wildly and making only seconds pass before both he and Rafiel shuddered in release. Volug collapsed, gasping loudly.

"Come now, calm yourselves." Nailah parted them with a gentle push. Giving them cloths for such an occasion, and their clothes, she grinned again as they cleaned and dressed themselves languidly. Her smile died when Tibarn came back into the room, apparently having checked on Reyson. The lady boss hadn't seen that face on her friend since he was coming off being Feral.

"What is it?"

Tibarn's amber eyes began to redden; his whole body shook."Reyson's gone."


	7. Waxing Gibbous

**Author's Note: **A short chapter, for all those who wanted it. If you still want it, don't hesitate to review! I have another chapter coming with the introduction of the Dawn Brigade and the wonderful Edward/Leonardo pair! But only reviews will get you further than that. Thanks for the motivation.

Waxing Gibbous

Reyson regretted his actions as soon as he saw just how high the building was. He still didn't know much about guns and all, but he might as well have been a sitting duck flying, with much hardship, ever-so-slowly down the building wall. Plus, the east boasted a setting sun, and there were more than enough people down below to capture him just as Tibarn had. Closer to the bottom he wrapped around a couple more buildings away from Tibarn's and managed himself to get well-hidden and thoroughly lost in an alleyway. He lost strength to keep his wings out, as small as they were, and fixed his shirt.

Too stubborn to just sit there and wait for some help, which, granted, he knew would be long in coming- and that's only if someone of devious intentions didn't find him first- Reyson kept going along the unfamiliar streets. They smelled weird, brimstone was in the air, people slid around the corners. Some caught sight of the beautiful man in nothing but shirt, pants, and sandals, but thought nothing of it. Luckily for him, he was to be left on his own tonight until Tibarn found him.

But that wasn't for another few hours. Until then, Reyson became more confident and strode the streets without fear, not even of the disgusting creatures who whistled and honked and called his 'love'.

He chided himself angrily for ever letting himself ever get that far with that 'master Tibarn'. That perverted man who would put him side-by-side by his brother in such licentious positions, who would make him see his brother in such positions. The real Tibarn would have never done any such thing. Forget the fact that he didn't know the old Tibarn's baser nature, what made his blood boil, what made him turn to a volcano of desire.

But it definitely wouldn't be any of that that went on in the apartment, certainly not. He wasn't the least bit attracted to his brother or the scheming wolf witch Nailah. Part of Reyson believed that the old Nailah was capable of making his brother some sort of sex slave and nothing deterred the fact that Rafiel was timid and vulnerable enough to be made a slave. Volug? Volug would do anything Nailah said, of course.

Ironically, with this new confidence and inner chiding, he began to berate himself over his past foolish decisions. First of all, he should have just told Tibarn- the old one- how he felt, taken the stab in the heart if he were to be rejected. But he had not. Then he made that potion from hell with Calill, what idiocy! He really went to far when he let himself be swindled by the fake Tibarn into acting like a complete and utter floozy. He had a proud moment fighting against Tibarn in front of Ashnard, granted, with horrible consequences, but his pride came back full force. But he got comfortable again, with Ulki and Janaff too, with Tibarn spanking him and nearly taking his virginity; making him masturbate side-by-side with his own brother!

And here Reyson stopped in the dark corridor-like back way as guilty thoughts passed through his mind at a dizzying pace before he screamed, "He isn't my brother!"

He fell to his knees in utter despair, pulling heavy sobs from his chest. He had been walking in a strange path for nearly two hours in almost complete darkness. After a bit of feeling sorry for himself, he followed the brightest lights he coulds see and got himself to a busy street filled with those awful cars. Some honked excitedly, a few stopped, yet Reyson stayed from the street, making a show to ignore them. He also kept away from the shops and restaurants or clubs and outside gatherings.

Luckily, it was early enough that the dangerous men weren't creeping around too much, just scouting. Some would have aimed for Reyson, and got him, if Tibarn hadn't flown around an alley and chanced upon him, flying in front of him. Eyes murderous towards these fools, he gave his pet fool an angry glare, pausing long enough to swing a trench coat around his bared torso, expertly hiding his wings. Reyson's back felt horible, like had been hit with a whip twice.

"Reyson..." the Hawk growled. "You idiot."

"I'm not an idiot," Reyson protested, wiggling his toes. He feared being hit by the Master Tibarn, but he was only shaken violently. "Where in the hell were you going to go?! Fucking hell! Do you know how many people will love a hot young man like you for a sex slave, hell, a fucking quickie? Many! Many, Reyson. Damnit!"

For a moment, Reyson was lost in the familiarity of the situation. How many times before, and after, battles had Tibarn given these lectures? Reyson has lost count, and, just then, he felt fleetingly that this Tibarn was exactly the same as the old one.

Staring into those amber eyes, he muttered, softly, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just.."

"Don't worry about it! Come on. We're going back."

"O-Okay."

Tibarn made a call on his phone; his tone was a lot less angry now that he has found Reyson and given him a firm talking to. Perhaps the Nailah thing was too much for him. No, it was definitely too much for him, but Tibarn thought it was better if he had a kick-start in this new world instead of him trying to baby him until he was ready. A Gapped laguz could never be ready for this new world.

He then pulled Reyson around a couple of buildings before he finally decided it was good to fly, and through the air they went back to the apartment. Before Tibarn said another word, he clasped handcuffs big enough to go around his ankles and another pair around his wrists. Their chains were long enough that Reyson could move easily, but definitely not long enough for it to be very comfortable.

"How long will I have to wear these?" Reyson asked indignantly.

Tibarn lifted his eyebrows and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "How about forever? What happened tonight will never happen again, Reyson, and I really should beat you fucking senseless."

"Why won't you?"

"You want me to?"

"No," came the quiet answer.

Tibarn looked at the sad sight and answered, "The cuffs are your punishment. No need to punish you twice. Now, go take a shower, and we'll just go to bed early tonight."

"With these on?"

"Yes, with those on, Reyson. Tomorrow, we will look for everyday clothes at Aimee's and something for the party on Sunday."

And so Reyson took a shower, but realized too late that he only had a towel to his name. A white downy feeling towel marked with the first letter of his name. He wrapped himself in this large drying towel, getting a smaller one to tuck his hair. He met Tibarn already in a robe in his room, waiting to do his own washing.

"Glad you know how it works," tibarn greeted. "Come here." He waved his hand in a 'come hither' fashion.

Reyson, albeit crestfallen, walked over, unable to even quake in fear. He was entirely absent of any sort of motivation. Usually any sorto f setback will have him riled to fight even harder, but, at the moment, he felt defeated.

Tibarn wrapped his arms round the heron's waist, now feeling sorry for the poor laguz. "don't make such a face Reyson. Things will get better. With me."

"With you," reyson echoed. He only frowned slightly when Tibarn buried his face into his stomach.

Tibarn was having strong, lustful feelings. Reyson smelled delicious and looked ravishable, but, again, it wasn't the time. Tibarn didn't think it would ever be the time for this bird. The hawk used what little restraint he had to put some clothes on Reyson before going for his own short shower. He came out the bathroom to find the heron still awake, in a fetal position around his pillow. Tibarn sighed.

Reyson felt strong arms envelope him and a heavy, inviting scent surround him.

It wasn't that bad, he thought for a second. If nights were like this, perhaps it's not that bad. Reyson curled closer.


	8. Waning Crescent

Waning Crescent

Reyson stayed absolutely glum until Goldoa's Let Go. His despondency brought down the whole gang. While most of the sadness was because of his situation, the other cause was Tibarn's strict order to not allow Reyson to leave the apartment, even with him. The clothes he needed were sent to the penthouse after the tailor measured him in person. There were shoes ordered and accessories bought without his recognition. But he didn't care much.

The day of the sub-human release had come- at noon, at various points around Tellius, laguz will be set free to do whatever they pleased, unless, of course, they get caught by slave owners. Laguz, especially Gapped laguz, weren't protected by any laws. They were pets unless set free, or having never gotten caught. With money they could leave the area to somewhere less hostile or more welcoming. But the chances of survival were still small. Many wouldn't hire sub-humans for work or let them in their schools.

Today was also Ashera's birthday party, hosted by Gallia at Tellius Hall. It's been a tradition for a local gang, a sort of temporary peace treaty, to host the mayor's birthday.

"I have to come with you," Reyson told Tibarn. There were still nineteen minutes left of morning and the Hawk boss was getting dressed for the Let Go.

"Why, Reyson?" Tibarn had a feeling he would have added weight today, and nothing easy to work off.

"You can't keep me here forever."

"Actually, if I'm very careful, I can."

"Please, Tibarn." Reyson, a little desperate, clung boldly to Tibarn's belt loops, stilling all the Hawk's movements though he was amidst putting a shirt on his head.

Tibarn sighed, setting his top straight and trying not to breathe in the freshness of Reyson. "You're not exactly companion material right now. You have a... depressed air about you, and my men can't have that today. I was thinking you needed time-"

"I've had enough time," Reyson interjected, bringing up his fist for emphasis.

"Enough time?" Thinking for a bit, Tibarn smiled. "Give me a kiss," he commanded.

"What?"

"A kiss? You wouldn't believe how much I have to control myself around that wonderful, though dejected, body of yours." Tibarn let his eyes travel freely down said body.

Blushing, Reyson hissed, "You're a menace!"

"And if you want to go to the party, I'll have to fuck you."

"You're completely insane!"

"Do I have to remind you that you are on indefinite suspension? Anyway, I know you desire it."

"Now with you!"

"Actually, yes, with me, more or less," Tibarn teased, making Reyson scoff in annoyance.

Actually, Reyson was ready to make peace with the new Tibarn, whose eager nature began to wear on him, in a good way. The heron had witnessed the way he led a meeting of men and laguz as easily as he would command the old hawks through battle. He took off his new-age weapons in the same, sloppy fashion as his ancient ones, throwing them all in a pile. He kicked off his shoes the same, haphazardly, and he would fall asleep curled around him. His ready penis would poke Reyson in the back. Reyson wasn't sure if the old Tibarn shared that trait, but he was beginning to think that the old Tibarn mattered no longer.

He was beginning to think about a happier life with the mob boss Tibarn, to hold him, kiss him, to have his member all the way inside him. To be loved by and love Tibarn in return.

"W-When?"

Tibarn blinked in surprise. "Tonight, Reyson. Slow, steady, relaxing," he elaborated. He was serious at the moment, anticipating. Gods, how he wanted him.

But a reply was a short time in coming. Reyson kissed him instead, abruptly pressing their lips together and forcing Tibarn's mouth open with his own. With all his eagerness, he quickly lost energy, falling hard into the beauty of the kiss. Reyson thought, when he used his own passion, their moments together seemed twice as sensual.

When they pulled their mouths away, they realized they had intertwined their arms and held tightly to one another. They were both exceedingly aroused, but Tibarn had had enough practice to turn away early.

"Get dressed, Reyson," Tibarn ordered and then left his room.

There was five more minutes until noon when the Phoenicies gang rolled out in Jeeps and pick-up trucks and curiously acquired buses. Stores and businesses were closed, for the Let Go or Ashera's birthday, no one knew for sure, but it made Tellius seem like a ghost town that midday.

Apparently they were going to cover a large radius of southwest Tellius. No one was sure how Goldoa was to transport so many of their members all over Tellius. Goldoa were the people to go to if you were a free laguz, and many laguz took advantage of this old fact. There were many sub-humans who were going to return to slavery.

"Why would Dhengisea do something like this?" Janaff murmured, looking far and wide.

"When I am from, he made Goldoa a completely neutral country. No one, beorc or laguz, was allowed to enter Goldoa at all. It kept them from many wars," Reyson recalled, ready to sing, if the need arouse.

"I see he really hasn't changed, then."

At precisely noon, several incantation circles appeared right before their eyes. Enormous dragons stood in the middle of these magic rings, surrounded by weeping laguz. There seemed to be eight to ten to a ring. Phoenicies began recruiting.

Many of the younger laguz had no problem joining the hawks to help them in their (illegal) activities, but hardly any of the older, and the few elderly were unwanted after all.

Goldoa had made no exceptions for the Let go. Those who were extremely sick, Feral, old, or pregnant didn't matter in the grand scheme of things, whatever that was. Fortunately for them, many of the rescue teams had invested a great deal in homes and shops for these people, for a small fee of course, to be paid then or later.

Phoenicies and the more friendly of the gangs traveled further and outward to find the few more ex-Goldoans, giving them their offers. Most accepted, and some that refused somehow had money and promised to make it on their own, despite their blood.

This wasn't as hectic as everyone had believed it was going to be, and it helped that the laguz gangs were faster than Daein and Begnion. Those two used their laguz pets but not as extensively as their footmen, making them slower than the laguz gangs.

They were done in little less than three hours with plenty of time left for the eight o' clock birthday pary. This was time which Phoenicies used to get Reyson and the new recruits ready for the huge ball, buying masks and outrageous costumes. Reyson had a new leash covered in ribbons while he wore a bird costume, whose wings he added himself. Made of only silk and feathers covering the most important parts of his body, he looked almost like his heron self. Tibarn wore a matching outfit, except with a lot more coverage and brown feathers.

"You guys look great together," Janaff jeered, as they went on their way to Tellius Hall. He was dressed as some sort of assassin, wearing all brown.

"Why must this suit show my nipples?" Reyson complained.

"I like that it shows your nipples," Tibarn said naughtily.

"Of course you do."

Reyson was feeling apprehensive. He was told that this party would only last a few hours, but time was short when you were having fun, and the sooner it ended, the sooner he and Tibarn would have to lie in the same bed, get naked, caress each other...

Reyson shook his long blonde hair worriedly. He thought to himself that he'll cross that bridge when he came to it, though how soon it would be made him nervous.

When they arrived, Tibarn pulled on Reyson's leash and led him along the stairs to the high open doors of Tellius Hall. There were plenty of people who joined them, dressed to impress, scare, or just plain weird people out. Reyson bumped into Tibarn's arm trying to escape this one Pet dressed in cloth straps hanging to his skin from piercings. Tibarn held his shoulders close.

Inside the building they met up with Nailah, Volug and Rafiel, who looked most apologetic. When Reyson looked around to avoid his eyes, he caught sight of Leanne, mostly naked except for piercings and a little loincloth that left little and a little less to the imagination. Reyson went back to Rafiel's sad eyes. His costume was made entirely of different white flowers and cotton, while Volug wore the less flashy attire of all leather, shaking as he stood as he was still in heat.

Nailah wore leather as well, except her leather, as well as the eyepatch, was all red. She shook Tibarn's hand, smiling at Reyson.

"You let the little runaway out, have you? He would have stayed inside until his skin was pure white from lack of sun." Her smile was ferocious.

"Well, if you could see his face everyday, it would have been hard to hold him back."

"You're just soft."

"Perhaps."

"Well, I guess we should mingle."

Mingling took them the first fifteen minutes of the party. Then Ashera arrived, and much cheer went throughout the ballroom. It shocked Reyson when he saw her shaking hands with everyone, someone who was a goddess in his world, who could have destroyed it entirely if she hadn't been stopped. Now, here, she was just a mayor. A mayor who had heavy, important hand in the affairs of Tellius, but still, she was only a small part of the world.

Telling this to Tibarn made the Hawk laugh. "She's like a goddess around here," he said. "Don't ever want to mess with her. She has-" He wiggled his hand in the air. "-this way of making the police really strong."

Reyson thought that maybe she blesses them, but he wasn't sure. If Tibarn and the others could retain their form, why not Ashera?

He managed to shake hands with her, as if it didn't matter to her if he was some guy's slave, but got no more than that. She went to more important people and talked with them. Reyson idly wondered how she would react if he told her his story. He decided that perhaps he wouldn't like the outcome of that conversation.

After the singing and a tiny bite of cake Reyson didn't like, the heron decided to wait the rest of the party out. He saw Skrimir, ever the blunderbuss, pursuing a reluctant Soren relentlessly. Soren wore a wizard's hat and robe and had painted his face green. Skrimir looked like an animal from ancient, ancient times. He wore nothing but furs and skins of some poor animal prey. Evidently, he wanted a nice Soren robe to complete his costume.

Some time passed before Reyson needed to use the restroom.

Tibarn had made the awful mistake of putting down his leash, and so Reyson, not at all realizing what sort of danger he could get into, went by himself. More unfortunately, there were people waiting for just this kind of mistake, people working for Ashnard who had just made a deal with a certain rotund Begnion officer...

Reyson finished his business in the restroom, and just when Tibarn was looking around fretfully to see where he went, everything went to darkness around him. Just before the last lights of the bathroom went out, he thought that this was how it was to be put to Sleep.

He awoke to the sounds of arguing voices.

"We're not...people...kidnap!"

"...good of...gang!"

"How?"

He knew those voices!

Reyson opened his eyes; the blurry sight of Micaiah and Sothe was before him. He was in a bare room; he could feel that he was still in his costume, as were they, matching black leather outfits. Sothe wore a mask over his mouth.

They continued arguing as he slowly regained consciousness. Reyson discerned that Sothe did not agree to the kidnapping, while Micaiah, for some unfathomable reason, did.

"He'll be fine, Sothe," Micaiah told him softly.

"How do you know that?"

"Because I do."

"Fine. I will trust your judgment on this."

"Thank you." Micaiah turned to Reyson. "Oh! You're awake! Are you hungry? I saw you didn't eat much."

"Why are you doing this Micaiah? Sothe?"

Their shocked faces almost made him a laugh.

Sothe stood in front of Micaiah protectively, swiftly pulling a knife to his palm. "How do you know our names?"

"I come from a different time period where you exist," Reyson told him honestly, knowing that the explanation might be futile because it sounded so insane. At the moment, Reyson suddenly missed his old bucolic life, but he shook the thought away quickly. This could have happened back then as well, couldn't it?

"He's telling the truth," Micaiah said softly.

"He is?"

"He is."

Edward poked his brown head in and yelled, "Dinner's ready!" He looked guiltily at the heron and asked the same question the silver-haired maiden did: "You hungry?"

Reyson realized that he was indeed hungry, and so followed the trio, in chains. While walking through a short hallway, he asked, "What do you intend to do with me?"

"Oliver of Begnion will come and collect you."

"What? Why on earth would you let him do that? I belong to Tibarn!" He hated to say that, but it was the truth. It just under a half-hour before he was capture, he was to truly belong to that Tibarn.

"It's under our leader's orders."

"Ashnard," Reyson hissed.

Sothe looked at him. "Yes."

And here Reyson thought about Micaiah's words and believed, _There's no way I will be fine!_


End file.
